LA for Spellslinger brands in standard 3.5?

[QuaziquestGM]

My copy of Spellslinger has arrived.

I'm pondering the possibilites of allowing the branded classes in a 3.5 game. No guns, no defence bonus. Just the brands as a 1st level option that allows takeing of the spellslinger magic feats. The PC would then be a "classless" branded character until reaching second level.

The only restiction that I can see on branded taking standerd classes would be that the Blackhand couldn't multiclass as a spell caster, and that the palerider couldn't be a "positive energy" devine caster.

It looks to me that the brands are not that much different then DragonMarks in the Eberon setting.

Though I can see the spoiler possiblities with the ironheart....treating metal like clay....non magical armor on foes....

What gives me pause is the mention in the moster section that SpellSlinger characters should be considered a higher CR then normal. Is this due to the defence bonus, or is it more to do with the guns?

 

[Stormborn]

There really wouldn't be any purpose served by bringing the Brands into a standrad 3.5 game, as they are really intended to be a later day manifestation of the standard classes. Some of them are obvious, some not so much. Magi are Wizards, Padres are Clerics, Paleriders are Paladins, and Skin Walkers Druids. The two of the ones you specifically mention, the Black Hand and the Iron Heart, don't really have standard DnD equivalents.

However, if you wanted to take out the duplicated classes, or perhaps use the Brands with the two of the three Generic classes found in Unearthed Arcana, the best way to do it would be just as you do in Spellslinger, make the player take it as the PCs 1st level as you say.

The reason that Spellslinger characters are considered a higher CR is that they classes are just better than standard DnD classes, its not the guns and its not the defense bonus (which is there to compensate for a lack of heavy armors) alone, they simply are not balanced against the standard CR system. Adding the Brand system as a 1 level alternative class isn't really going to effect the CR system in 3.5 long term, although it seems like at lower levels they would be slightly more powerful than a standard DnD PC but quickly fall behind, primarilly due to the limited nature of spell casting in the Spellslinger system.

The idea of Brands in DnD is interesting, but I think it would take a lot of work to port over, and would drastically alter the nature of a campaing world. They are not as limited as Dragon Marks, nor do they fit the 3.5 system as well.

 

[QuaziquestGM]

It would be good for plot though. How do the established classes deal with these new breeds born with magic? maybe introduce worlocks at the same time. Most of them aren't too different from the Sorcorer anyway.

I can imagine skinwalkers and druids maybe being rivals.

Ironhearts being not too popular with blacksmiths and metal workers.

Paleriders being shun, and sought ot by necromacers for experiments.....

The only tweek that I would make would be to let them keep thier caster level as charater level, but not allow them to count levels in other dedicated caster classes. Not an issue for the blackhand. They only get 1 level of the "Branded class" anyway, and then have to buy additional powers with feats.

I think that there are also other easy ways to balance things. for one, everyone knows who they are ( or will soon learn how to recognize them). and two, they can be neutralized by hiding their stigmata. IF they loose, well, they loose and eye, or a hand, or get a nasty scar in place of their brand and lose their ablilties.

Also, being a walking magic surpression zone would have some disadvantages in a high magic setting for a blackhand.