Houseruling classes

[Garthanos]

It seems like you can't evaluate the game balance from the core books...

Game balance is tricky and a class feature or lack there of can change the impact of the classes powers entirely, each of the combat roles has something it does well.. and Strikers strike.

 

[Katemare]

cant play an entirely new version of a game based on one borrowed book ;-), all that gives is a taste... to see if you are interested.

A group can play with one book (in case of D&D - core three). And I'm really tasting it now, anyway %)

Game balance is tricky and a class feature or lack there of can change the impact of the classes powers entirely, each of the combat roles has something it does well.. and Strikers strike.

I just got an idea: stick a different class feature on gnoll - get a gnoll of different role. Damage boost feature = striker, opponents hindering feature = defender and so on. With at least 50% of appropriate powers it may work, won't it?

The free version of the Character Builder from the DDI web site, without subscription gives enough information about the Gnoll and the also intriguing Minotaur, to play it and information about 3 levels worth of Barbarian and Druid and Invoker to entice... same with Swordmage which is also yummy.

Thanks, didn't know. Useful!

 

[Garthanos]

I just got an idea: stick a different class feature on gnoll - get a gnoll of different role. Damage boost feature = striker, opponents hindering feature = defender and so on. With at least 50% of appropriate powers it may work, won't it?

Hindering a single adversary is defenderish...a defender normall has better armor class and a marking ability... (there may be work a rounds for the ac I think pumping up hit points - though the ranger already does that for one build without really changing role) and the warlords ( a leader type) are rather convincing team players.

The whole game now has large amounts of team action going on.

A Gnoll race should be able to take various classes if you had the monster manual you would see it does as a monster already ;-).

 

[Garthanos]

A Gnoll race should be able to take various classes if you had the monster manual you would see it does as a monster already ;-).

A step further on this ..
Emphasizing the design as a PC Race. A racial feature might be they mostly find heavier armor repugnant or uncomfortable or it is beyond there tech).. and loose the top armor class for any class they take (if the class has heavy armor...knocking it down a rung... if this happens they get toughness or durability as a free feat).

Then as a race feature allow them to use either claw or bites as though armed with a light weapon which does d6 base damage.

The Marauder Class : could be built as a dual weapon ranger usually with the second weapon being one or another of there natural weapons .. the hunters quarry would visualized as being a quick bite mixed in to whatever attacks the character is making.

and you might also have
A Gnoll Tribal Champion (aka Avenging Paladin Build with fire in place of radiance) (because of the gnoll race using scale armor but more durable or tough) and various other stylistic quick fixes.

Writing a whole new class is tough, restyling what is there.... can still be interesting.

 

[Katemare]

I tinkered with it a bit more and... either forget the balance or I have to put a job-worth amount of effort to keep it. Losing hope here... I really wish there were some kind of resource (an article, a sourcebook or a website) for creating custom powers and classes.

(Although when a real game will arise, I'll try to put together a custom PC, a gnoll or a kitsune or something...)