Favored Classes Redux

[reanjr]

I am strongly considering implementing such a system myself-- instead of a XP break, though, simply award 10% of the XP needed as a bonus when taking a level in the character's Favored Gestalt.

I'm already giving out an extra skill point per level, but that's negligible, especially with either 8 skill classes or 2 skill classes.

So like, I'm a dwarf fighter 1, I get 1,000 XP and pick fighter for my second level, so I now get +100 XP for a total of 1,100 XP? If that's the case, it's a subtly important difference.

With my -10% reduction in cost, you would only need 900 XP to go up in fighter, but you might have to wait another adventure to get that last 100 XP to go up in another class.

 

[Nifft]

Personally, if I wanted people to actually USE their Favored Classes, I'd swap around who gets what -- by mechanics, not by stereotype:

Gnome: Specialist Wizard
Halfling: Wizard
Elf: Rogue

Dwarf: Fighter
Half-Orc: Barbarian

Human: Any
Half-Elf: Any

-- N

 

[Limper]

I have to agree thats a bit much. Not sure who or on what board Iheard it but I thought the +1 skill point per level in a favored class was a decent and balanced solution.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

So like, I'm a dwarf fighter 1, I get 1,000 XP and pick fighter for my second level, so I now get +100 XP for a total of 1,100 XP? If that's the case, it's a subtly important difference.

With my -10% reduction in cost, you would only need 900 XP to go up in fighter, but you might have to wait another adventure to get that last 100 XP to go up in another class.

So, essentially, you'd have the choice of levelling as a Fighter now, or waiting to level in order to get your next level instead? That makes some sense. My system makes it easier to gain the level after you take a level in Favored Class, which isn't quite right.

I use Favored Gestalts, so the choice of a specific two-class combination is a little more specific than the choice of a single class, but otherwise it remains the same.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I have to agree thats a bit much. Not sure who or on what board Iheard it but I thought the +1 skill point per level in a favored class was a decent and balanced solution.

The problem is, for many character classes, a single bonus skill point is negligible-- either because the character already has all the skills they need, or because skill use is a minor issue for that character type.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

We don't play with the favored class rules. This has never been an issue in my group.

 

[dagger]

So, essentially, you'd have the choice of levelling as a Fighter now, or waiting to level in order to get your next level instead? That makes some sense. My system makes it easier to gain the level after you take a level in Favored Class, which isn't quite right.

I use Favored Gestalts, so the choice of a specific two-class combination is a little more specific than the choice of a single class, but otherwise it remains the same.

If you have time, could you give a little more information about your Favored Gestalt system?
Thanks

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

If you have time, could you give a little more information about your Favored Gestalt system?
Thanks

Basically, since I'm using the Gestalt rules, I've replaced every race's Favored Class with a Favored Gestalt. Other than that, I'm just looking for alternate Favored Class rules that would be more effective in a Gestalt game, since multiclassing is such a smaller issue.

Here are the Favored Gestalts for a handful of races, as an example:

Human (or any half-race): Any combination of two base classes.
Dwarf: Fighter/Expert
Elf: Ranger/Wizard
Orc: Ranger/Barbarian
Halfling: Rogue/Scout
Githyanki: Fighter/Psion
Githzerai: Monk/Wilder
Aasimar: Paladin/Favored Soul
Tiefling: Rogue/Favored Soul
Air Genasi: Scout/Shugenja
Water Genasi: Monk/Shugenja
Half-Dragon (replaces FG of base creature): Aristocrat/Sorceror
Hobgoblin: Fighter/Rogue

 

[Nyaricus]

yeah, i know this is an almost-dead thread, but i thought id put in my two cents.

what i do in my campign is simple. Races have some obvious affinities with classes, so each and every specific sub race gets a list of Class Choices. Other than these, other classes are disallowed. Any level taken in any of the list of Class Choices doesnt implement an xp penalty. Now, to balance that, charater may have levels in only 3 base classes of their choices, and two prestigue classes. simply put, not every dwarven adventurer is a fighter, their society couldnt sustain itself like that. Thats why every sub-race has a specific set of classes (and prestigue classes) they can choose from. it keeps the game focused, and playable. simply put, each race has a group of (essentually) favoured classes, adn there isnt an exp penalty (the penalty being that they cant take levels in other classe/prestigue classes that might otherwise be applicable)

for example, in my world, i have 3 sub races of dwarves. There are mountain, hill and deep dwarves, but for this, Ill just use Mountan and Hill Dwarves.

Mountain Dwarf Class Choices: Crusader, Fighter, Noble, Priest, Hunter and Rogue
Hill Dwarf Class Choices: Beserker, Crusader, Fighter, Priest, Hunter and Rogue

in my campaign, mountain dwarves are the original race, who live in their mountain strongholds deep underground, and hill dwarves are those who have created communities outside of their mountain homes. So, a hill dwarf could multiclass between the fighter, berserker and crusader at no penalty, but he could never gain levels in noble (thats only for mountain dwarves) or druids, etc (those classes that are for other races); and his mountain dwarf companion could never gain levels in berserker.

feedback welcome.