New "Dead Levels"

[2WS-Steve]

all you have to do to fix all of this is to play AD&D as it was meant to be ...... before 2nd edition started to ruin it

Actually, the vast array of dead levels in 1st and 2nd edition are a big reason why I stopped running D&D -- then came back in 3rd edition.

 

[Slife]

Is it lame that the one thing which really caught my eye is the hexblades (eventual) infinite prestidigitation?

Not the swashbuckler's "Seduce to Learn Secret"?

 

[Psion]

Okay, generally speaking, I feel that cranking up the feat progression rate is enough to keep me happy.

But I have to say, I looked at the article, and some of them are cool enough for flavor reasons that I'm tempted to include them. I really dig the hexblade's forced omens.

 

[Kunimatyu]

I like the concept, particularly since these little mini-abilities are specifically designed to not affect melee or spell combat.

In fact, some of the abilities are specific enough that they may actually coax some roleplaying out of a powergamer -- perhaps a Knight will be more likely to care about the nobles/king because of his Diplomacy reroll, and perhaps an Archivist will try to decipher more script now that he can't get false impressions, etc.

My players hate the idea of dead levels so much that we've moved to playing a lot of True20, where all class abilities are feats and you get a feat a level. They love it, mostly because of that 'cookie' mentality that Piratecat described so well above!

I mean really, who doesn't like cookies?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Is it lame that the one thing which really caught my eye is the hexblades (eventual) infinite prestidigitation?

Not at all. If there was a spell I could cast in real life, infinite uses of prestidigitation would be right at the top of my list. It's the baby version of wish!

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I fail to see how a level which gains a new spell level is a dead level. Never mind increased HD, BAB, saves, spells known/per day, skill points ... "Dead level" sounds like powergamer whining, to me.

Just saying.

 

[Piratecat]

I fail to see how a level which gains a new spell level is a dead level.

It isn't, in my personal opinion. Getting spells of a new level is a much bigger cookie than getting more spells of an existing level.

 

[Bacris]

It isn't, in my personal opinion. Getting spells of a new level is a much bigger cookie than getting more spells of an existing level.

And I agree with this. But for wizards, every even level, and for sorcerors, every odd level, is pretty dull.

 

[el-remmen]

Here is the part I don't understand about the whole "dead levels" thing.

Ostensibly, these extra abilities are needed to make the base classes more attractive against the option of prestige classes - but I don't see how these VERY minor powers compete with all the stuff some prestige classes get you.

I think if you are going to make the argument vis a vis prestige classes and dead levels, it is prestige classes that need to be changed, not the base classes.

 

[Crothian]

And I agree with this. But for wizards, every even level, and for sorcerors, every odd level, is pretty dull.

Gaining new spells is still pretty darn cool.