Min/max tricks of the players

[Cullain]

"Worst case scenario" with dwarf wizard on 20 con + toad familiar is 1d4 + 6 HP per level, for an average of 8-9 per level. Big whoop. Under point buy, with 20 CON, that PC has paid through the nose for the privilege of surviving the next ice storm to get thrown at the party - their INT has probably suffered as a result...that's specialising, not powergaming! I suppose said DM would have no problems with a 20 strength half orc, because that's culturally acceptable in D&D circles! I know which specialist PC I'd rather have in a campaign. Double standards, eh?

agreed. the wizard in my party gets to use his owl familiar for all sorts of cool things, like scouting, casting touch spells at a distance, etc. giving all these up seems worth 1hp/lvl, if that's what he wants to do.

Also, I hope no one ever fireballs that mage. With his higher CON he might make it, but I don't think the toad stands much of a chance.

As for the twin-bastard swords thing, it's such a sub-optimal fighting style even if you burn all your feats on it that I suggest anyone considering Rule 0-ing it return to their books and do the math...

3 feats to get -4 on all your attacks? If that's powergaming, it's not very good powergaming.

But if it's really a big deal to you, have more of the magic weapons be 2 handed swords. Do you use the magic sword, or these other swords that you're really good at. tough choice.

Cullain

 

[LostSoul]

LostSoul, what sort of cool things would you offer to make the less attractive choice seem attractive?

Hmm...

Summon Monster: call for different ingredients for different monsters. Make this into a plot element, so your Wizard will have an incentive to search out adventure. Make sure you balance it out, though, so you don't cripple the spell in the process.

Superior Combat Styles: introduce weapon masters of different styles into different games through 5-level prestige classes. Make the abilities of these classes balance out the different combat styles. (ie. the abilites of a whip master might be better than those granted to a bastard sword master, just because the whip sucks.)

Familiars: have the familiar pick the character, not the other way around. Give the PC whatever game bonus he wants, just change the vessel that the bonus comes in. Give the familiar a strong personality and make him rebel against the PC's orders now and then.

Those are just a few thoughts; I'm sure others have more...

 

[Joral]

Hmmm I was thinking does anyone at all have idea's on how to roleplay a Toad familiar?

I was thinking of getting one because my previous familiar died (the party's halfling thief, a 100gp gem disappeared when she showed up so my character thought she had to be his familiar =)) Anyway Im playing a Sor1/Cleric(of bahamut)5/Dragon disciple 7 and I don't have enough levels of Sorcerer to get the thematicaly appropriate Psuedodragon familiar so Im looking at the basics and maybe going for toad for the reptile look and the fact that if I cast rightous might(off scroll for now until I finish my prestige class) and let it affect my toad he grows a size and can eat stirges for the group(slurp) while I deal with the big threats.
Then again if there was another familiar type that would be more "dragon like" then I would go for that.

BTW If the wizards are keeping thier familiars inside a container so they won't get hurt then I would also not allow them the benifit of the free awareness feat as I always viewed this as perceptions you are getting from your familiar's senses and your empathic link. " Your toad no can see? Then no Spot bonus for you. " This is the way my group runs it rather than allowing the familiar a spot/listen roll of its own effectivly giving the Wiz a second try.

 

[-Ekimus-]

my suggestion would be just to play a toad realistically. Toads NEED water. if your party is walking thru a desert? wow the toad dies from dehydration. if the party ever gets a re-occuring enemy figure, he/she can spy on the party, realise that 1 or more people have familiars, and try to hinder the party by chipping away at them. loosing familiars is BAAAAD for mages

Familiars: have the familiar pick the character, not the other way around. Give the PC whatever game bonus he wants, just change the vessel that the bonus comes in. Give the familiar a strong personality and make him rebel against the PC's orders now and then.

This is also very good. or u can always roll for a mages familiar sucks if he gets something he doesnt want

 

[-Ekimus-]

Question -
what book is the Cleric of Bahamut in? it sounds like its my favorite class already!

 

[RogueJK]

Question -
what book is the Cleric of Bahamut in? it sounds like its my favorite class already!

Um... Player's Handbook, pages 29-33.

He's just like any other cleric. He just happens to worships the god Bahamut.

 

[-Ekimus-]

hahaha im an idiot i thought it was a prestige... dont mind me!

 

[Balrog]

For information on clerics of Bahamut, there is also more in the Deities and Demigods (pg. 58-59). Briefly, they must be either LG or NG, and his clerics have access to the Domains of Luck, Air, Good, and Protection. their favored weapon is claw- that's right, claw....try buying one of those at the local town market.....

 

[Thebalrog]

Hey!....


Nice name.

 

[Balrog]

Thanks!! I tried changing it once, but once you get typecast as a demon from the ancient world, there is no going back.

The Flame of Udun, Servant of Morgoth, etc, etc....