Mandatory Flaw to replace ECL +1?

[Gnome]

I was thinking that some of the ECL +1 races are underpowered, and was thinking of requiring a mandatory flaw if one of these races was taken instead of the ECL +1. Specifically, I think the planetouched races from FR and Hobgoblins are underpowered for their ECL.

What do the rest of you think of this idea balance-wise?

 

[Rystil Arden]

This would definitely work for Hobgoblin and Tiefling. Less so for Aasimar and beyond. Particularly, Goliaths and Half-Giants with just a Flaw of the player's choice would be way too strong.

 

[Vorput]

Agree, totally. And as long as the flaws fit with the race as flavor-wise as the +'s do, I think it would make these races played a LOT more.

In our campaigns, we relgated most ECL+1 races to +0... which is awesome for my alter-selfing Air-genesai wizard .

Vorp

 

[Vorput]

This would definitely work for Hobgoblin and Tiefling. Less so for Aasimar and beyond. Particularly, Goliaths and Half-Giants with just a Flaw of the player's choice would be way too strong.

Agree with the second point, you'd have to pick and choose which races to apply this too.

Vorp

 

[smootrk]

I have done similar things to moderate the ECL adjustment.

For instance we have a Drow mute mime Bard. I granted a ECL adjustment for the mute nature (especially for a bard). I also had a set of enhancements for characters at the time of character creation. One of those enhancements was a free ECL adjument of 1. Other enhancments were free ability adjustments, family inheritance minor magical items, amongst other things.

If you feel the need to grant something for the ECL challenged player, you should give some sort of minor boost to the other players... and the best types of boosts are focused more on the role-play aspect than on the mechanical aspects. For instance, they might be the 'owners' of a small fortified building out on the plains - but as they arrive to take possession, they find it occupied by _______ (foes, monsters, rivals, squatters, or other family members who claim it is theirs by right). They get the feeling of getting something, but it is really just part of the campaign - and you get to justify the ECL adjusted character.

 

[Starglim]

A Flaw is equal in value to a feat. Second level gives you a class ability, which is equal in value to a feat, and a hit die and Base Attack Bonus and base save bonus and caster level increase. Therefore, one mandatory Flaw is not enough to balance LA +1, unless you assume that the LA for that race was wrong to begin with. Two mandatory Flaws might be about right.

 

[Christian]

For instance we have a Drow mute mime Bard.

That is just so wrong, I don't even know where to start ...

 

[smootrk]

That is just so wrong, I don't even know where to start ...

Yes, I know. Quite scary.

 

[Rystil Arden]

A Flaw is equal in value to a feat. Second level gives you a class ability, which is equal in value to a feat, and a hit die and Base Attack Bonus and base save bonus and caster level increase. Therefore, one mandatory Flaw is not enough to balance LA +1, unless you assume that the LA for that race was wrong to begin with. Two mandatory Flaws might be about right.

The LA for Tieflings and Hobgoblins is wrong to begin with. Hobgoblins are about LA .25, just barely too strong to allow as an LA +0 race. Tieflings are about LA +.5, although Alter Self for Tiefling Wizards could give them a slight edge more.