Playing Dhampyr

[jbear]

It does look like a fun concept. If it is a power creep, at least it's available to everyone in theory, so at least it's not like:" druids are more powerful than wizards".

As a DM it's something i'd probably want to work into a story with a negative side effect to boot that the party contracted after a brush with some nasty Half Vampire Villain, as opposed to allowing someone to start as one. (then again I'm a bit of a softy so I'm sure my arm could be twisted on that one).

 

[LightPhoenix]

Not quite entirely true as there is an Epic tier feat in Martial power that allows you to make any encounter power with a single target and single attack roll reliable, but I agree they probably did not want to change the basic no reliable for encounter powers rule.

I wouldn't say it's a rule so much as a design. Dailies for other classes often have an effect or a "Miss" with it. However, Fighters can keep trying their big guns until they hit with them; there's no partial effects for them. In order to keep those Dailies from being wasted, they came up with Reliable. Encounter powers don't have a Miss effect for any class, and so there's no need for Reliable encounter powers.

 

[FireLance]

I wouldn't say it's a rule so much as a design. Dailies for other classes often have an effect or a "Miss" with it. However, Fighters can keep trying their big guns until they hit with them; there's no partial effects for them. In order to keep those Dailies from being wasted, they came up with Reliable. Encounter powers don't have a Miss effect for any class, and so there's no need for Reliable encounter powers.

While we're on this tangent, I don't think there would be anything unbalanced about having a Reliable encounter power. In fact, certain powers could probably do with the slight power-up. The level 23 Fighter encounter power hack 'n' slash is a case in point. The flavor implies that it should be Reliable ("You swing your weapon in deadly arcs, mercilessly hacking and slashing at your foe's armor until finally you break through.") and it is otherwise strictly inferior to skullcrusher, another level 23 Fighter encounter power.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I don't see the power creep at all. In fact, if anything I'd say the powers are a little on the weak side.

Blood Drain does pitiful damage, and not only that but it attack Fortitude which has been shown to be the highest defense on average (though I'd like to see that average without Brutes factored in). Its healing capability is dependent on an attack roll and uses a Standard Action. You're often better off with the "Word" healings or healing potions than this. Honestly, I'm not certain I would ever use this except in a dire emergency, or for style.

Mist Form is a nice defensive power, and has pretty good utility as a movement power as well. Additionally, I'm generally more amicable to the idea of trading a Utility power than an Attack. Finally, this biggest benefit IMO is that you can still use Utility and Item powers, so long as they don't attack. However, you lose all offensive capability and you can still take damage. I think it's a pretty reasonable trade-off.

Bloodied Regeneration is (almost) strictly worse than Boundless Endurance, a Fighter 2 Utility. Additionally, BE is a stance; this ends for good as soon as you are no longer Bloodied. Whether that says something about how powerful BE is, or if this is not useful is a matter of debate.

Dominating Gaze is pretty neat, and might be worth giving up an Attack for. Dominated is not a very common condition (DDIC shows 7 powers). The big draw here is that it is a minor action to use, and has added accuracy to boot. If anything, I'd have to say this is a little overpowered; I think it would be in line as a standard action instead.

 

[jbear]

I guess when you take all the above into consideration you have to keep in mind that any class has access to them, which is what makes them pretty cool. It adds different elements that a player can combine that doesn't affect multiclassing.

This seems to be a very cleverly designed way to add variety and colour to characters without breaking the game which in a way seems to address alot of peoples complaints about the sameness of character classes etc.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

*although I still don't think they should be called feats, but that's a personal nitpick

Indeed. "Feat" actually wouldn't be a bad name for what are now referred to as "Exploits." What would replace the name of feats? Enhancements perhaps.

Can anyone suggest a reason that Blood Drain shouldn't be Reliable? It seems a bit silly that a two-turn, low-damage attack (even with the fairly useful secondary effect) would be lost on a miss. It's a great way to make someone feel like they've wasted a couple of turns.

I can't think of a good reason not to make it reliable. It doesn't sound like it would hurt anything too much if it was.

 

[Scribble]

Can anyone suggest a reason that Blood Drain shouldn't be Reliable? It seems a bit silly that a two-turn, low-damage attack (even with the fairly useful secondary effect) would be lost on a miss. It's a great way to make someone feel like they've wasted a couple of turns.

I guess in game you could say that getting your fangs into someone's neck in a way that allows you to suck out enough blood (and not snap off a fang) is "tricky" and relies to a large degree on the fact that your opponent doesn't really expect it.

Once you've tried, and failed (or suceeded) the "jig is up" so to speak, and your opponent will be more on guard. Just enough that getting that perfect bite off is no longer possible.

Shrug.

 

[Rechan]

You know. Reading this (Finally), if I was ever going to do this, I would definitely go in the opposite direction. Perky Happyhappy character. Or a barbarian with nary a care to his nature or habit.

Also, I wonder if Bards have access to Bloodline multi-classing like they do other multi-classing.

 

[Rechan]

How would one counter-grab a monster that currently has you grabbed? Or, could you use the bite while you are grabbed?

 

[yesnomu]

Indeed. "Feat" actually wouldn't be a bad name for what are now referred to as "Exploits." What would replace the name of feats? Enhancements perhaps.

I've been playing Fallout 3 recently, how about Perks?

The name Feat has never actually bothered me, though. There are plenty of other weird word choices in games to bug me first (see: the entire HERO system...).