BlackSheep
First Post
(Posted to ENWorld and RPGnet)
The problem
As written in the rulebook, when a character multiclasses the defence bonuses of each class is added together. Starting class defence bonuses vary from two to four, while they only escalate with experience at a rate of one every two to three levels. This means that a multiclassed character has a much higher defence bonus than a singleclassed character of comparable level, and also that defence bonus will heavily outweigh base attack bonus in most cases. My third-level character, for example, has attack rolls of +1 melee or +4 ranged and an armour class of 22.
The official solution
Total the defence bonuses for each of your classes and then divide by the number of classes you have. This prevents the above problem, but creates a new one. It is now possible for your defence bonus to go down when you gain a level.
The Wheel of Time solution
Total the defence bonuses for each of your classes and then subtract two for every class beyond the first. This alleviates the original problem but does not entirely solve it, since Farscape, unlike WoT, has several classes with the highest defence bonuses.
A new solution
The problem largely comes from the fact that defence bonuses start out much higher but progress slower than BAB. It is likely that this is intentional, so that at low level attacks hit rarely but it takes fewer hits to put you down, while at high levels attacks hit often but it takes a lot of hits to put you down.
However, it makes more sense to me that combat capability be based around relative level, not absolute level. And since our game is irregular and short-term, we won't be reaching high level any time soon. This means that a lot of combat is going to involve 'I miss, you miss, I miss, you miss' combat rounds.
Thus, I propose that the fast/medium/slow defence bonus progressions are simply mapped onto the fast/medium/slow BAB progressions. This ensures that BAB and DB will advance at roughly the same rate, and should mean that on average about half of all attacks will connect due to AC being 10+DB.
In other words, use the following tables to determine the BAB and DB for each class. Multiclassed characters simply sum the bonuses from each of their classes.
Any thoughts?
The problem
As written in the rulebook, when a character multiclasses the defence bonuses of each class is added together. Starting class defence bonuses vary from two to four, while they only escalate with experience at a rate of one every two to three levels. This means that a multiclassed character has a much higher defence bonus than a singleclassed character of comparable level, and also that defence bonus will heavily outweigh base attack bonus in most cases. My third-level character, for example, has attack rolls of +1 melee or +4 ranged and an armour class of 22.
The official solution
Total the defence bonuses for each of your classes and then divide by the number of classes you have. This prevents the above problem, but creates a new one. It is now possible for your defence bonus to go down when you gain a level.
The Wheel of Time solution
Total the defence bonuses for each of your classes and then subtract two for every class beyond the first. This alleviates the original problem but does not entirely solve it, since Farscape, unlike WoT, has several classes with the highest defence bonuses.
A new solution
The problem largely comes from the fact that defence bonuses start out much higher but progress slower than BAB. It is likely that this is intentional, so that at low level attacks hit rarely but it takes fewer hits to put you down, while at high levels attacks hit often but it takes a lot of hits to put you down.
However, it makes more sense to me that combat capability be based around relative level, not absolute level. And since our game is irregular and short-term, we won't be reaching high level any time soon. This means that a lot of combat is going to involve 'I miss, you miss, I miss, you miss' combat rounds.
Thus, I propose that the fast/medium/slow defence bonus progressions are simply mapped onto the fast/medium/slow BAB progressions. This ensures that BAB and DB will advance at roughly the same rate, and should mean that on average about half of all attacks will connect due to AC being 10+DB.
In other words, use the following tables to determine the BAB and DB for each class. Multiclassed characters simply sum the bonuses from each of their classes.
Code:
[color=white]
Level Slow Medium Fast
1 +0 +0 +1
2 +1 +1 +2
3 +1 +2 +3
4 +2 +3 +4
5 +2 +3 +5
6 +3 +4 +6
7 +3 +5 +7
8 +4 +6 +8
9 +4 +6 +9
10 +5 +7 +10
11 +5 +8 +11
12 +6 +9 +12
13 +6 +9 +13
14 +7 +10 +14
15 +7 +11 +15
16 +8 +12 +16
17 +8 +12 +17
18 +9 +13 +18
19 +9 +14 +19
20 +10 +15 +20
Class BAB DB
Aristocrat Medium Medium
Commando Medium Slow
Diplomat Slow Fast
Mystic Slow Medium
Pirate Fast Slow
Priest Medium Medium
Rogue Medium Fast
Scavenger Medium Slow
Scientist Slow Fast
Technician Medium Medium
Warrior Fast Slow
[/color]Any thoughts?
Last edited:
