Half-Elves in 3.5
- Thread starter Merlion
- Start date
Nail
First Post
You may want to re-think that response. That seems rather "knee-jerk reaction" to me.Azure Trance said:
It's true that giving "odd numbered" stat mods can lead to "hiding" the penalty. Since you (game designer) can know that going in, you can take that into account when designing and balancing the race.
Simple enough.
Kae'Yoss
First Post
Nail said:
Then those who don't "hide the penalty" got panalized. So either the race is stronger than meant for those who min/max, or weaker for those who don't. The first encourages min/maxing, the second discourages not min/maxing. It's 6 of the one or half a dozen of the other. Better avoid that sneaky business and give everyone an equal start.
Nail
First Post
An interesting way to think about it. But again, if you look a little deeper its not that bad.KaeYoss said:
First: "Hiding the penalty" is a 1st level thing. As you know, as you advance you get ability adjustments.
Second: Having an odd-numbered low stat is not necessarily a bad thing. Not only do stat-boosting spells often give you odd numbered bonuses, but several feats and PrCs require an "odd-numbered" stat or better. Poisons and magical attacks often lower stats in odd numbers.
Third: It's certainly true that many people don't min/max. I applaud them. It's entirely possible that they want a certain stat to be penalized. And yet, with an odd number stat bonus, they may remove that penalty with "character growth" (by 4th level) much more easily than if the stat was lowered by 2s.
Fourth: Hiding the penalty is not rocket science. People realize how it works pretty quickly. Some even do it without much thought. A kind DM might even point out to newbies that this is a possibility.
********
Again, it's not difficult to balance a race with odd-numbered stat bonuses. IMC, I give humans a +1/-1 to any two stats, to represent their versitility and adaptability. I also point out that the ability to "hide the penalty" is a feature, not a bug.
kengar
First Post
In one setting I made, half-elves are the only PC elven race (full elves are wild elf barbarians). They are also the only race which can become Sorcerers. In the wilderness setting I've made, there are no Wizards (no libraries or guilds) and no PC clerics (religious purges and exiles). Thus, Druids & Sorcerers are the only "full" spellcaster classes.
In my campaigns I give the half elf a choice of an extra feat or the elven weapon prof's.
(Proficient with either longsword or rapier; proficient with shortbow, longbow, composite longbow, and composite shortbow)
It never made any sense to my why a half elf that grew up with elves or humans never learned anything from them.
I used RaceCalc to analyze the chages and they fall well with in the norm. I chose the feat instead of the skill points because RaceCalc then gave it a ECL +1 if I included the skillpoints.
In actual game play this has worked well and not overpowered the half elf.
my .02 cents,
Bryan
(Proficient with either longsword or rapier; proficient with shortbow, longbow, composite longbow, and composite shortbow)
It never made any sense to my why a half elf that grew up with elves or humans never learned anything from them.
I used RaceCalc to analyze the chages and they fall well with in the norm. I chose the feat instead of the skill points because RaceCalc then gave it a ECL +1 if I included the skillpoints.
In actual game play this has worked well and not overpowered the half elf.
my .02 cents,
Bryan
trentonjoe
Explorer
Gilwen said:
Consider that stolen. I have seen/made maybe a 100 characters since 3E came out and I don't think I have even heard some one suggest a 1/2 elf. This might help with my group. I like it.
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