Incorporating Arcana Unearthed/Evolved material?

[slh83]

Hi all,

Like everyone else, I've heard all kinds of praise for Arcana Evolved, and was thinking about finally crawling out from under my rock and picking it up. But I was wondering what your experiences were with grabbing ideas and variants from the book and plugging them into a "standard" D&D campaign. For example, if I liked one of Monte's original core classes, how much effort would it be (and would it affect balance) to drop it in alongside others running standard D&D 3.5 classes? How does the magic system do in translation, and how easy is it to "swap" the system for the standard D&D magic rules or to adjust the spells/spellcasting classes from AU/AE to work with the standard rules?

Thanks!

- Sam

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I mainly use it as a source of inspiration. I've made modifications to the PHB classes, as well as made some kickin' new material. It really is an absolute gem. Personally, I want to do a mix of Arcana Unearthed/Iron Heroes.

 

[Odhanan]

Hi all,

Like everyone else, I've heard all kinds of praise for Arcana Evolved, and was thinking about finally crawling out from under my rock and picking it up. But I was wondering what your experiences were with grabbing ideas and variants from the book and plugging them into a "standard" D&D campaign. For example, if I liked one of Monte's original core classes, how much effort would it be (and would it affect balance) to drop it in alongside others running standard D&D 3.5 classes? How does the magic system do in translation, and how easy is it to "swap" the system for the standard D&D magic rules or to adjust the spells/spellcasting classes from AU/AE to work with the standard rules?

First thing to remember is: you, the DM are in power. You are building the balance. As long as your players agree with it, you're fine. This answer thus assumes that you do not have rules lawyers at your table.

You can do with AU/E with D&D character classes as much as you want without overbalancing one side or the other. I do it with my own tabletop group which includes a Witch Master Inquisitive and an Assassin.

My advice is to make the characters work with their respective handbook. Choose an experience chart everyone applies to. Then, every character leveling up selects new feats/advantages from his/her handbook, whether PHB or AE. And everything should be fine.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Anything in the AU/AE book can be used if the character is using one of the races/classes from it, but they also follow that experience point table, those feats (some of which have different names/abilities than standard), those spellcasting progressions, etc...

It's worked out well in the past where a campaign had a mage blade, another one with a magister, and in my current one with a ritual warrior.

 

[Moon_Goddess]

I ran a campaign mixing the two once. I ruled the same as the rest of these people. If using stuff from AU then use that book if using PHB then stick within that one. No one took a class from the PHB, I had a Dwaven Warmain but that was it.

 

[Staffan]

I allow the Unfettered, slightly modified (mostly regarding skills and bonus feat list), in my campaign. Didn't seem overpowered, given that the one PC who was an unfettered got himself killed.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

I allow both side by side. I make sure that everyone has the same number of feats and uses the same XP chart. I've allowed "non-magic" classes to multiclass - saw a litorian bard/unfettered, for example. Magic classes need to "stick to a tradition" although I've successfully converted clerics, rangers and paladins to spontaneous AE casting and given all them and wizards and sorcs diminished and heightened spells.

I'm working on a translation for 3.5 classes into AE classes. No idea when it will be ready. I'll probably make it available in one of the new product line offerings from Blue Devil Games.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Don't mix feats or spells between books. Multiclassing between AE and PHB classes is generally fine, but keep an eye out for exploits. AE classes are balanced on a different XP progression, and have an extra feat at first level, which makes a difference to starting power levels.

I'd recommend trying an AE game before you mixed the two systems though. There are enough important differences between the two systems that it's worthwhile getting to know AE fairly well before you go monkeying around with it. Also, it's a good system itself.