Do you allow feats/PrCs from Dragon or non WotC products

[Kichwas]

I haven't run DnD in a while, but I may again soon.

In past, and what I plan in future, is to encourage the use of d20 material. If you want to use it, show it to me and I will look it over and more than likely approve it.

 

[HellHound]

Most of the time, they'll allow stuff from just the WotC books. What about your campaign?

I don't really have much choice do I?

(a) I'm running a game in Bastion Press' Oathbound setting.
(b) I'm running a game in Paradigm Concepts' Arcanis setting.

both of those require that I use non-core material, obviously.

oh yeah...

(c) I write third-party d20 material!

---

Hound Post #1982 - the year the space shuttle Columbia made its first mission, deploying two communications satellites.

 

[Buttercup]

HOHF - Heroes of High Favor from Badaxe Games.

:smacks head: DOH!

 

[JoeGKushner]

I tend to keep things on the controlled end like many do.

1. I have to see the material in question.

2. I have to approve it for playtesting.

3. The player understands that I'm under no obligation not to remove/reduce the feat/PrC/Spell/Item, etc... if I feel it's too powerful.

4. Not all combinations are allowable. If player one has X, Y, and Z but player two have Z,B and wants X and I know that's going to unbalance him, he's not getting it.

I use a lot of 3rd party material, some of it I know beforehand is too powerful and because of that, I have to keep a keen eye on rule #4.

 

[Crothian]

Most of the time, they'll allow stuff from just the WotC books. What about your campaign?

Of course I allow anything. Just because it has the Wizards name on the book doesn't mean a thing. Wizards is not putting out the best stuff anymore (if they ever were). So, I'll allow stuff from any source as long as its good.

 

[apocalypstick]

I don't like 3rd party stuff when it comes to PC development, and that's not because I feel that it's overpowered/low-quality/whatever, but because it tends to make the "field uneven" for the players. IMO, of course.

Player A, who has 100+ 3rd party books, can comb through all his books to come up with the super-cool (note: NOT super-powered, although that's possible) combination of feats and equipment or whatever for his character.

Meanwhile, Player B, who only has the core books and can't afford to buy a glut of 3rd party stuff, gets to use core stuff only. Maybe he would have liked to use some of the supplemental stuff, but he doesn't have access to it; and when Player A comes in with all this 3rd party niftiness maybe he feels slighted. Or not slighted, maybe, but... that his PC is inferior.

That's just my take on it. When it comes to DMing, I love 3rd party stuff. But for the players, they get Core and the 5 WotC Splats, and that's it. Give everyone the same resources to work with and nobody feels like someone else got a better deal 'cuz he owns more books.

 

[thundershot]

I allow just about anything, so long as it doesn't detract from the fun of the rest of the group, or overpower a character.

Oh, and I have to own the book.

Two of my players characters even have feats from the Portable Hole Full of Beer. A sorcerer Sylph with Anatomically Over-Endowed (it's a little powerful, but only good against certain people or monsters) and a Fighter with Big-Ass Weapon Proficiency (how the hell am I going to make that 3.5 compatable..? HELLHOUND!)


Thanks
Chris

 

[megamania]

As a DM I have complete power of veto. A player must show me the feat and if I feel it is unbalanced or "wrong" for the character / setting I ask for the player to defend it's use. Why? For what purpose? Would you be willing to face NPCs with the same feat(s). etc....

I have found certain 3e licences to be...off for the lack of a better term. The feats they provide are balanced for the campaign style they are trying to reach but not correct when mixed with other feats in other campaigns.

Regional feats are the toughest. It can be argued that a dwarven feat is a dwarven feat but comon..there is a point of too much. A Dwarven Paladin using Children of Stone from Kalamar in a F Realms game. All of his Saves can begin at +8 for a 1st level character. Oye!

 

[Derulbaskul]

In my FR campaigns, I allow:

- Feats: anything from a WotC book (except for Sword & Fist where the post-errata version feat needs to be scrutinised first... and monkey grip will never, ever, ever be allowed) and anything from Malhavoc.
- Spells: anything from a WotC book plus anything from Malhavoc.
- Prestige Classes: anything from the FR books and rarely anything else. I'm a firm believer in the prestige class fitting the campaign rather than simply being a "power inflation device".

Dragon magazine is also OK as a source but my "campaign flavour" rule applies to prestige classes.

My Oathbound campaign is a bit more eclectic in terms of source material but I am very reluctant about allowing AEG and Mongoose stuff in particular but my opinion is coloured by earlier products... which have caused me avoid more recent products.

Cheers
D

 

[JoeGKushner]

Meanwhile, Player B, who only has the core books and can't afford to buy a glut of 3rd party stuff, gets to use core stuff only. Maybe he would have liked to use some of the supplemental stuff, but he doesn't have access to it; and when Player A comes in with all this 3rd party niftiness maybe he feels slighted. Or not slighted, maybe, but... that his PC is inferior.

I have seen this happen at my table too. It's one problem that role playing didn't used to have as much that the kid with the most money wins but with all of the 3rd party material out there, it may seem that way more these days.