Long-term planning for D&D characters

[Odhanan]

Another way of mitigating this whole development business and the way the player would have to focus on this skill rank or that feat to get there is to be much more lenient on Prestige Classes' prerequisites. I don't mean to make the prerequisites less demanding, but more open to options.

For instance, when a PrC says the character should have Combat Reflexes, you agree to switch it off for Lightning Reflexes. Spell Focus could be replaced by a metamagic feat that fits the flavor of the PrC just as well. Knowing lightning blast (=fireball of electricity) instead of lightning bolt for the "Thundermage" PrC would be acceptable. And so on, so forth. This means in practice that players can focus on the flavor of the character to fit the prerequisites instead of just aiming for particular mechanical elements.

This solves the problem with the right players, the ones who don't take systematic advantage of this, I mean.

 

[messy]

(i haven't read the entire thread, so if i repeat someone else's point, please forgive me).

if a player is planning their character's career, that shows a level of interest and imagination that should never be discouraged.

er, IMO

messy

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I think the main problem would be conflict between those players who have memorized numerous prestige classes from a large number of supplements and those who haven't. The former can plan their characters effectively, while the latter will howl in frustration: "Why didn't anyone tell me about that prestige class 7 levels ago? Now my character can't get into that class!"

Enjoyment of the way your character develops shouldn't hinge on memorizing large numbers of supplements. At least that's my stance, and I am sticking with it.

As one of those who doesn't keep up with the prestige classes and supplements, I can say that those people who do don't bother me very much. Perhaps they get some kewl powers for their prestige class, but I'm not interested in "keeping up with the Joneses" in terms of abilities. As long as they don't get in the way of letting me build and play my character, and don't try to take all the limelight for themselves, I have no problem with their PC being "better" than my character. I get my enjoyment from playing the game, not from having all the latest and greatest abilities.

 

[Particle_Man]

PHB II has retraining rules for those that change their character concept mid-stream.

Also, the characters that don't have all the books memorized can ask the characters that do. Although there are things that make them equally happy, nothing makes a rules lawyer happier than being able to show a person how to meet the prerequisites for various feats and prestige classes. Just watch their eyes light up!

Personally, I like having a 1-20 (or sometimes just 1-15, since most campaigns I am in stop before 16) planned character in my head. It gives me a 4 dimensional map of what my character will be like. But that plan is certainly not written in stone, and I can change in-game as needed.

That said, I am considering playing a Factotum and here I am having a great deal of difficulty planning ahead. I know that I want to stay single-classed, and that tripping will be involved, so that means Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, and perhaps Combat Acrobat so no one returns the favor if I fail. I might also take Power Attack, Bull Rush and Shock Trooper. And then maybe that feat in CM that lets you use the same UMD score on a magic item all day, and that other feat in CC that lets you use Knowledge checks to get bonii to hit/damage types of monsters. At least that's one way to go.

For skills, I am thinking of maxing out Search and Disable Device, and UMD. Otherwise, I would want to spread the points as widely as possible - even to some Crafts and Professions.

And all of that may change. If another guy is playing a rogue when I play the Factotum, perhaps I will not max out Search and Disable Device. If we are doing a "giant heavy" campaign, perhaps Trip and Bullrush will go by the boards too. It all depends both on what other characters are doing, which affects my self-perceived role in the party, and on what happens to my character in game.

 

[rowport]

Unfortunately, this will then mean that you will have a hard time meeting the prerequisites for other interesting prestige classes which might interest your character now. Feats, especially, tend to be problematic because you get so few of them.

If the GM allows the retraining rules from PHBII, that problem will go away. That would let the character have mid-stream changes but still reach a good outcome, similar to your RL experience above, Jurgen!

(As an aside, your RL advancement path is really pretty interesting. In contrast, I have largely stayed on the same career path that I decided by my second year of college. So, I guess in-game and IRL some folks plan and others go with the flow. Cool.)

 

[WayneLigon]

First I decided to study physics because I was interested in astronomy. Once I started studying, I learned that the job offers for astronomers is rather limited, and then I took bio-medical engineering as a Minor.

Life may throw you curves, but the life of an adventurer is determined a lot less by outside factors such as the ones you list above and much more by his own desires and initiative with little need to care what the rest of the world does or wants. No-one is going to say 'Sorry, we have a glut on wizards so we're not training anymore. Have you tried becoming a priest?'.

I generally do some planning maybe two or three levels in advance so I can make sure I don't screw myself up with choosing a wrong feat at the wrong time. Only once have I ever specifically gone for a prestige class but for that character, getting into that prestige class was the driving goal behind his actions. So for him, planning ahead to achieve his goals was completely in character.

 

[billd91]

(i haven't read the entire thread, so if i repeat someone else's point, please forgive me).

if a player is planning their character's career, that shows a level of interest and imagination that should never be discouraged.

Perhaps, but the DM shouldn't need to make major adjustments just because a PC refuses to adapt his plans that are no longer in synch with the development of the campaign either. I won't discourage planning ahead, but I won't sympathize with players who stick to those plans so rigidly their characters become ineffective with the drift of the campaign.

 

[GreatLemur]

In your RL, did you not plan out your eduction goals, choose a career path, possibly earn specialized certification credit or training courses, and once there, choose opportunities for specific projects and/or jobs that would further your advancement?

Ha. This is funny.

 

[pawsplay]

Unfortunately, this will then mean that you will have a hard time meeting the prerequisites for other interesting prestige classes which might interest your character now. Feats, especially, tend to be problematic because you get so few of them.

That happens in real life, too.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I'm big on planning things out, so I can make sure that I can qualify for that prestige class or don't run into multiclassing penalties, and also so if/when I do level, it doesn't take me a half-hour or more to figure out what I'm doing, time that could be spent gaming.

Of course, plans can and do sometimes change. Not always, though, and certainly having a guideline to plan your character's development around is better than just piling level onto level, willy-nilly.

Brad