ECL of character with all 18s?

[Terwox]

Also depends on how high a level you want to go... at higher levels, it won't be as big of a deal, as powerful feats and spells start to be better than powerful stats. Or, well, they can.
So if you're going longterm, you'll also want to think about that.

 

[Voadam]

OK so what would be the ECL reduction for starting as a naked commoner? A third level character with normal equipment and magic will rip them apart, and there is nothing he can really hurt to start. Losing the max hit points and skill bonus of a decent class plus having to blow your favored class on commoner or take multiple levels of it or face xp penalties is pretty harsh.

I would also think at the very least any ECL would depend upon the point buy or rolling method of the campaign, random 3d6 and 35 point buy might change the party balance.

 

[Wolf72]

well if that PC has to start off as a level in commoner there's one strike already!

if you give the commoner standard PC abilities you'd have:

[4 x (2 +(3=int mod)] + 4 skill points (human) = 24 skill points

4+3 = 7hp ...

+0 base saves (although +3 to all)

+0 BAB (+3 melee, +3 ranged)

um I'm not really sure I'm making a point here ...

 

[Tonguez]

Most NPC classes are ECL -1 anyway (and I'd say commoner should be -2) so a Commoner with all 18s and NO equipment would balance out to ECL +0 (Race +1 NPC -1) or something like that...

 

[Creamsteak]

Just forcing him to start as a level 1 commoner should be enough...

I just tried a quick play by... and the level 1 fighter killed the commoner 2 out of three times, Fighter on 32 Point Buy and other guy on 96 Point Buy (straight 18's).

Of course the fighter won, he had two extra feats and more HP than the commoner.

No +ECL...

Edit: The commoner won on a crit anyway, so that doesn't really count...

 

[Enkhidu]

Just forcing him to start as a level 1 commoner should be enough...

I just tried a quick play by... and the level 1 fighter killed the commoner 2 out of three times, Fighter on 32 Point Buy and other guy on 96 Point Buy (straight 18's).

Of course the fighter won, he had two extra feats and more HP than the commoner.

No +ECL...

Edit: The commoner won on a crit anyway, so that doesn't really count...

Of course the fighter won. He's a fighter and was supposed to win. That's what fighters do.

Try putting him toe toe to with some other classes just to make sure (rogue comes to mind, or maybe bard).