Hybrid Character Playtest

[invokethehojo]

Hey all, friday I start my Mercenary Campaign at the local nerd store where we will be rotating DM's and doing a kind of group story... I'm excited. We voted and we will be allowing playtest characters including hybrid characters. I saw that they just posted revised and expanded hybrid rules. I playtested an eladrin warlord/wizard and it went well but it was a short session.

Has anyone else played hybrid characters that can give me some info? How did it go? Did it seem broken? What kind of problems/synergies did you encounter?

Thanks for your input.

 

[Eldorian]

I haven't played one yet, but I'm considering it. It might be a good idea for people to post interesting combos they've seen.

For example, the barbarian/sorcerer uses strength for AC, which is very nice.

Ranger/Warden can use Wis for AC, and the classes complement each other pretty well.

How about a Swordmage/Warlock? The infernal pact or star pact at wills both work on a class who wants to get hit.

 

[Nifft]

Haven't looked at the second playtest in depth yet, but the first one was on the underpowered side of balanced, so my instinct would be to allow them.

Cheers, -- N

 

[malcolm_n]

Changes without putting anything direct

* Hybrid talent now offers full armor proficiency for any class with better than leather.
* The options for hybrid talent of each class are spelled out (so you can't choose anything, but the list is decent).
* The hybrid versions of features are better halved (.5 hp/surge, once per encounter stuff like the warlord, etc).

Over all, it pretty much addressed any questions and complaints we had. In addition, it added all PH2 classes. The only thing MAJOR left to ask imho, is what about paragon multiclassing a hybrid because of the half-powers from each class rule.

 

[BASHMAN]

The major dealbreaker, that makes many combos for me, nigh-unplayable-- is that you can only use certain features with attacks from that class. My fighter cannot mark a target with a charge, basic attack, or OA? What the heck? A hybrid rogue cannot do sneak attack damage when the Warlord tells him to attack the enemy when he also just gave me combat advantage? That is stupid. Basic Attacks should be able to use class features-- there is no reason why not.

I can understand them not wanting me to Mark a target with Riposte Strike-- I really can (even though I would LIKE to be able to do that)-- but not even with a basic attack? That ruins the whole idea and vacuums the fun right out of playing a hybrid character.

 

[Rechan]

It also really saps out defenders. Paladins and Swordmages losing the potency of their class-specific defensive qualities, etc.

 

[Eldorian]

It also really saps out defenders. Paladins and Swordmages losing the potency of their class-specific defensive qualities, etc.

Ah, but a double defender defends pretty well. For example, a fighter/warden can do pretty well when it comes to marking foes. If only one of your classes is a defender, then you ought to defend less well.

My biggest issue is with certain classes default class abilities, namely the barbarian's lame rampage, which is a seldom useful class ability and the only one the barbarian gets.

 

[keterys]

Hybrid swordmage makes a perfectly decent secondary defender.

Barbarian's powers are better than other classes (with some exceptions) rather than include their class features, so that's why they'd skimp them on abilities. Same for wizard.

But yeah, I think it's very easy to end up with a lower powered hybrid character.

Though a hybrid melee ranger / fighter with tempest technique seems pretty good. Though, of course, he needs to take Rain of Blows and Rain of Steel, say, and can't add quarry damage to them. The horror.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Mmm I didn't think about the basic attack etc stuff. Needs to be sorted, did you email ddi with that point?
I would rule that you could do only one classes extra stuff with a MBA, charge etc. No problem if you are a Rog/Wiz but makes you think for a Rog/Ftr with CA on his MBA...

 

[BASHMAN]

Mmm I didn't think about the basic attack etc stuff. Needs to be sorted, did you email ddi with that point?
I would rule that you could do only one classes extra stuff with a MBA, charge etc. No problem if you are a Rog/Wiz but makes you think for a Rog/Ftr with CA on his MBA...

No, I haven't emailed them-- but somebody should!