Leif's 'The Hall of the Rainbow Mage' [A] (D&D 3.5 OOC)

[Jemal]

which puts you 5,000 closer to the next level than you'd be if you were drow.
I hate LA buyoff.. By the normal XP you'd have at level 20 you can have a lvl 18-19 character with 3-4 lvl adjustments worth of templates, being the equivalent of a 21st or 22nd lvl character in a 20th lvl game.

AND since you need less XP to lvl up because you actually ARE lower level, you level faster than your companions.

 

[Theroc]

Right. That works fine for me.(Being lower level)

Btw, I am thinking of going Warlock this time.

Though, I'm still somewhat debating on what kind. Melee Warlock seems more complicated and counterintuitive(though I suppose no moreso than a rogue) though it seems like more fun, while ranged seems safer/simpler but not quite as fun.

 

[Rhun]

I'm not the biggest fan of level buy-off, either. I wish there was a better way.

 

[Leif]

My advice, for what it's worth, is to have as much fun with the game as humanly possible! (I thought that's why we were all here, after all.)

 

[Rhun]

My advice, for what it's worth, is to have as much fun with the game as humanly possible! (I thought that's why we were all here, after all.)

The problem is that characters are supposed to be balanced, and Level Adjustment is part of doing that...so allowing it to be bought off effectively gives the PC those "extra abilities" for free.

I agree, it is all about fun. But having some PCs have a lot of bonuses that others don't tend to take away from those other PCs experiences.

 

[Theroc]

I'm sure I'll have fun either way, I just have a nasty habit of feeling the need to heavily optimize in fear I'll end up not enjoying myself with the weaker character(due to feeling either as a handicap on my group, or due to just being drastically weaker).

I suppose I'll start working on the basics, and then prod people for advice for specific things.

Edit: If the buyoff is a major issue for everyone, I just NOT buy it off, though I'm not sure how that will affect things.

 

[Rhun]

Theroc, the only issue I have is that when one or two PCs are heavily optimized, the PCs that aren't sometimes get completely overshadowed. And nobody wants that. That is why I keep trying to point out to you that most of us who play here are roleplayers, and not rollplayers.

We can all optimize a PC rather well, but we prefer to play the characters in our mind's eye, and not the character that is perfect and the best at everything.

With that said, I don't particularly think allowing the level buyoff for your Drow PC is going to make you into some uberpowerful character, and I'm okay with it.

 

[Theroc]

Theroc, the only issue I have is that when one or two PCs are heavily optimized, the PCs that aren't sometimes get completely overshadowed. And nobody wants that. That is why I keep trying to point out to you that most of us who play here are roleplayers, and not rollplayers.

We can all optimize a PC rather well, but we prefer to play the characters in our mind's eye, and not the character that is perfect and the best at everything.

With that said, I don't particularly think allowing the level buyoff for your Drow PC is going to make you into some uberpowerful character, and I'm okay with it.

Rhun, I do get that most people here are roleplayers. I consider myself a roleplayer too. I just have the optimization habit because I'm afraid of being one of those who are overshadowed. I'll try to refrain from the Optimization heavy stuff a bit, but like I said, I'm coming right from World of Warcraft, where I learned that if you aren't optimized, you don't get to do anything really. I am aware D&D isn't like that, but old habits die hard.

Atm, I'm liking the melee warlock concept. It's simply a matter of getting the stats done up.

 

[Leif]

Theroc,

I think the whole idea with the 'buy-off' is to have the experience point cost be at least roughly equal to the extra abilities that the character has. I would have just tacitly accepted that said rules accomplished that task, but, evidently, there are some players (Rhun) who take issue with that. Since Rhun has already said that it doesn't bother him in this case, though, I wouldn't worry about it. He does tend to be the most grouchy one around here, so if you can keep him happy, you'll pretty much skate on by the rest of us with ease! (J/K, Rhun!) So, we're right back where we started: do the L/A XP buy-off, or don't do it. Just keep total xp the same as everybody else, and it'll all be ok.

...And thanks for your support!

 

[Rhun]

Atm, I'm liking the melee warlock concept. It's simply a matter of getting the stats done up.

Fair enough...just do whatever you can to bump your hit points. Because d6 really sucks. Improve Toughness is good at our level; any magic item that can bump your CON will help too.