[GP] A Game of Politics (Recruiting 2 more)

[Ranger Rick]

.....Oh and I was wondering one other thing, what do you all think of the aristocrat class. Everybody seems to have taken other classes and while I expected this, I also expected one or two fulltime aristocarts. Is it underpowered?

To be honest, I completly missed your write up when I did my PC. I thought you meant the NPC class. I had stopped reading when I reached my 'House.' It is very similar to the NPC so I really did not do tweaking of my PC to get it in line with the class. I would not call it underpowered, but by the same token it does not offer something that is better than the other core classes.

 

[Timothy]

In my first write up Leadership was available at lvl 5. And currently, I'm not sure why i changed it. Maybe because it looked better to get a new ability every two levels or so (kidding). Ah well, to late to change now, but maybe for the next time I use him.

It was my aim that he would be as powerful as the paladin, with the spells and all.

 

[Ranger Rick]

In my first write up Leadership was available at lvl 5. And currently, I'm not sure why i changed it. Maybe because it looked better to get a new ability every two levels or so (kidding). Ah well, to late to change now, but maybe for the next time I use him.

It was my aim that he would be as powerful as the paladin, with the spells and all.

I would not say that is correct. The paladin with smiting/healing/detect evil is more powerful than your class.

If you want to buff him up add in the ability to raise his CHA score. Or add something, bonus feat etc.

 

[Nephtys]

In my first write up Leadership was available at lvl 5. And currently, I'm not sure why i changed it. Maybe because it looked better to get a new ability every two levels or so (kidding). Ah well, to late to change now, but maybe for the next time I use him.

It was my aim that he would be as powerful as the paladin, with the spells and all.

It really doesn't strike me as a balanced class, even when compared with the Rogue (the class it most resembles). It needs a little more to be worthwile, I think.

 

[Timothy]

Lord Raven's char:

You can add one point to an ability score because you got past lvl 4.

Could you rearrange your armor bonusses for better reading. right now you have a +2 shield bonus and +0 dex.

Maybe it's me, but shouldn't you have 6 feats (1st lvl, 3rd lvl, 2 monk, 2 fighter)

Could you rearrange your skill points for better reading? From waht I see now, you still have 3 points to spend.

Approved! (with these changes)

 

[Timothy]

James, good job, I cannot find any mistake with your char.

But about you're hirelings, let's have some additional rules for them.

First of all, at page 105 of the DMG hirelings are better specified. Would you read through that. You can adjust the prizes according to table 4-1.

Because you will be going on adventures, it's not realistic to have 80+ men following you. So before you go on an adventure, if you go somewhere not every hireling can follow I'll say that. those 50 porters are not really needed on an adventure I expect.

Remember that your hirelings will have demands and you will have to treat them fairly. Letting them sleep in the open air for one night is fine, but if you go to a tavern and let them sleep in the open air, they won't like you. Also, Mercenaries are pretty picky about money, expect some demands for hazard pay.

My advice would be to lose some porters (but if you plans for al 50 of them, it's okay) and keep the excess money for demands for extra money.

Also, a Groom and a mercenary leader are people I'd like you to hire.

 

[Timothy]

I think I agree with Nephtys about the aristocrat class, but it's too late to change him now, so we'll leave him like this.

For FERRIS and RHIALTO

The game will start very soon (as soon as I'm done posting). You can make your characters and jump in as soon as possible, but do come up with an IC reason for being late.

 

[James Heard]

First of all, at page 105 of the DMG hirelings are better specified. Would you read through that. You can adjust the prizes according to table 4-1.

Well I did look through that too, but I had decided at the time that having specialists of some sort wasn't necessary. I could change them if you'd like, even get some real specialists since I've got Arms & Equipment which has (I think) fairly detailed prices for every sort of hireling. Basically though, I was trying to be simple because I figured that a politics game was going to be more about nailing up bunches of fliers and getting neighborhoods cased for information from polling.

Because you will be going on adventures, it's not realistic to have 80+ men following you. So before you go on an adventure, if you go somewhere not every hireling can follow I'll say that. those 50 porters are not really needed on an adventure I expect.

They're not porters though. They're pollers. I've paid people to be campaign workers, basically. The sailors are the crew for the yacht, and then there's 20 thugs/guards/whatever. I hired them as trained because I figured that would be the way I'd get guys with high Str/low Int and fairly good Intimidation scores. Crowd control guys, men to send into stores to shake down scared shopkeepers, men that could do manual labor when I'm needing impromptu concrete footwear work done upon low level political opponents - that sort of thing.

Remember that your hirelings will have demands and you will have to treat them fairly. Letting them sleep in the open air for one night is fine, but if you go to a tavern and let them sleep in the open air, they won't like you. Also, Mercenaries are pretty picky about money, expect some demands for hazard pay.

If I was expecting to be dragging them around with me I'd worry about it more, but I'm paying these guys wages not employing them to come shack up with me. They're not followers, so I figured that they'd have houses and wives and kids to go home to in the city for the most part. I like family sorts, because people with families are careful about what they say and do to endanger their...employment.

Also, a Groom and a mercenary leader are people I'd like you to hire.

Why? A coachman is a groom as well, he's just not as trained in animal husbandry as someone who specializes...and I don't have mercenaries yet? I've got innocent, lovely pollsters and about a roomful of dudes paid to look menacing in whatever they brought from home. Should I repurchase the thugs as soldiers and maybe see what an 8th level fighter might cost to rent his services?

 

[Timothy]

Okay, I agree with you 100%, thanks for clearing everything up!

You can keep all as was psoted on your char sheet.

Of and could you and Raven post in the Rogues galery?

 

[Ringmereth]

Oh and I was wondering one other thing, what do you all think of the aristocrat class. Everybody seems to have taken other classes and while I expected this, I also expected one or two fulltime aristocarts. Is it underpowered?

Quite frankly, yes. It resembles something in between a rogue and a bard with a completely different flavor, but it doesn't have anything on par with the rogue's special abilities and the bard's magic and bardic music effects. While the extra leadership stuff is somewhat helpful, the fact remains that the Aristocrat himself can't really do anything useful. An accurate depiction of a medieval politican, perhaps, but not at all ideal for an adventuring sort. IMO, the sort of character that the Aristocrat presents is good for nobility who sit around and manipulate people instead of doing actual work. If we were playing that sort of game, it might possibly be okay (though a Bard would be better), but since we have to go out into the field and fend for ourselves, it's not that useful.

If you want to balance it, add some bonus feats, an increase from suggestion to dominate at higher levels, bonus resources (calling in favors, getting lump sums of money, being able to requision equipment, etc), and better spells.