Improving the half-elf
- Thread starter Kzach
- Start date
Yah, yah. I've only been system modding for twenty years. I haven't a clue.
Omnifarious Grey
First Post
Perhaps that was a bit harsh, my apologies. However, 4e has been out for roughly a year taking a bit, and it is not carbon copy of other editions. I am jsut saying that if you do plan to re-write the race you need to concede on some of the other abilities of the class to compensate for the +2 dex and +2 to any stat, otherwise you are getting into power creep territory, that's all.
Ixis
Explorer
I like stalker's idea, then I'd give them a +2 Cha and a +2 Dex (the Cha covers the whole "good with everybody" thing, as well as playing up their elven blood a bit more. It also makes them great bards and sorcerers which is what Wizards is sort of aiming for.)
I can see Grey's dislike of the floating +2 stat. Think of attributes like assets in economics. Those 2 free points are liquid assets, so we'll say their potential value is 1 each (for a total of 2.) A set stat like a racial +2 to Charisma (Dragonborn) or Intelligence (Genasi) have a lower potential value and lose some liquidity because they're set in stone. Those racial stats curb what classes you might choose due to effectiveness, so we'll give them a potential value of .5, for a total of 1. This means that a human, with her floating +2 has a total potential asset value of 2, the same as other races with a value of 2 (1 point for each +2.)
Now, the HE (half elf) gains a floating 2 and a 1 value (from the +2 Dex), that's a potential value of 3, which doesn't only make HEs better than humans, but also every other race! It's true you could just roll a HE as a rogue/ranger class, but you could do the same for a human and get less out of it. Or you could roll up any other class that you would for a human and get that extra +2 Dex. You lose out on a +1 bonus to either Fort or Will, but you'll still get that extra floating +2 that not only will effect your defenses, but your skills and attacks, something the human doesn't get, which means regardless of the HE not getting a +1 to all three defenses she still gains bonuses to her character's ancillary stats.
All of that plus Dilettante which I'd say is equal to an extra feat and skill, especially since with the floating +2 you can take virtually any 1-st level power you want and not be horrible at it since you can place that +2 anywhere. Then you just multiclass your way into however many extra powers you wish and not have to worry as much about stat optimization. This gives the HEs the extra advantage over humans in terms of versatility.
I can see Grey's dislike of the floating +2 stat. Think of attributes like assets in economics. Those 2 free points are liquid assets, so we'll say their potential value is 1 each (for a total of 2.) A set stat like a racial +2 to Charisma (Dragonborn) or Intelligence (Genasi) have a lower potential value and lose some liquidity because they're set in stone. Those racial stats curb what classes you might choose due to effectiveness, so we'll give them a potential value of .5, for a total of 1. This means that a human, with her floating +2 has a total potential asset value of 2, the same as other races with a value of 2 (1 point for each +2.)
Now, the HE (half elf) gains a floating 2 and a 1 value (from the +2 Dex), that's a potential value of 3, which doesn't only make HEs better than humans, but also every other race! It's true you could just roll a HE as a rogue/ranger class, but you could do the same for a human and get less out of it. Or you could roll up any other class that you would for a human and get that extra +2 Dex. You lose out on a +1 bonus to either Fort or Will, but you'll still get that extra floating +2 that not only will effect your defenses, but your skills and attacks, something the human doesn't get, which means regardless of the HE not getting a +1 to all three defenses she still gains bonuses to her character's ancillary stats.
All of that plus Dilettante which I'd say is equal to an extra feat and skill, especially since with the floating +2 you can take virtually any 1-st level power you want and not be horrible at it since you can place that +2 anywhere. Then you just multiclass your way into however many extra powers you wish and not have to worry as much about stat optimization. This gives the HEs the extra advantage over humans in terms of versatility.
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