Re-Reading 1e

[Obryn]

Jeez, you don't think it's reasonable for a gnome to be able to summon an earth elemental just by being a gnome? What a hardass DM you are!

Hah. Yeah, I was paging through thinking, "There has to be a downside here, somewhere... Some cost? Some penalty? Wait - there's nothing and they can advance to at least as high a level as normal gnomes? Huh...."

-O

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

... and magic items and possibly exotic equipment. And the simple "System I" unarmed combat.

Yeah, those, too. Cherry-pick the good stuff.

 

[rkwoodard]

ah yes the elemental summoning gnome

Jeez, you don't think it's reasonable for a gnome to be able to summon an earth elemental just by being a gnome? What a hardass DM you are!

I fought tooth and nail against Unearthed Arcana back in the day, I tried logic and got blank looks,
I tried DM Fiat when I DM'ed to not allow it and got a mutiny

then I got to play, and chose the Gnome to try and prove my point.

1/2 way through the adventure I say "I summon an Earth Elemental" people laugh, including the DM. Stone faced I say, "No serious, look it up".

The DM (a really bad one) then killed the Elemental 2 rounds later with a collapsing wall.

RK

By the way, this story has no point or moral,

 

[Obryn]

then I got to play, and chose the Gnome to try and prove my point.

1/2 way through the adventure I say "I summon an Earth Elemental" people laugh, including the DM. Stone faced I say, "No serious, look it up".

When I saw that the svirfneblin could possibly summon a 20 HD elemental, I knew that my brain had exploded.

Seriously, now - has there ever been a supposedly-core splatbook which offered more of a raw increase in character power? I can't think of one...

-O

 

[Tewligan]

And don't forget, of course, that a brand-new cavalier character could potentially start his career with (I believe) full plate armor and a heavy warhorse!

 

[Henry]

And don't forget, of course, that a brand-new cavalier character could potentially start his career with (I believe) full plate armor and a heavy warhorse!

Oh, that wasn't the height of overpowerment with the Cavalier. The height was how he attacks as five levels higher with long sword or lance, and how his STR, DEX, and CON scores went up by percentiles EVERY LEVEL! The disadvantages never really mattered too much, that I could see, because most all of our cavaliers never owned land, were always scrapping for a fight, and all they had to do was act chivalrous, saving damsels in distress, helping the needy kill some villain, etc. Which was par behavior for the course with most adventurers.

 

[Humanaut]

For the UA i heavily trimed the quasi-magic abilities of the Cavalier and Barbarian. I also put anywhere from -10% to -50% xp penalty depending on the race and abilities... this included starting XP if the party was above 1st.

 

[Tewligan]

Oh, that wasn't the height of overpowerment with the Cavalier. The height was how he attacks as five levels higher with long sword or lance, and how his STR, DEX, and CON scores went up by percentiles EVERY LEVEL!

Yikes, I totally forgot about the five level higher with sword and lance thing! The races and classes from UA are totally off-limits for PC's in my campaign - like others have said, I just use it for the spells and magic items. Oh, and I use the expanded level limits and allowed classes per race chart, as it applies to the PHB races and classes.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Yikes, I totally forgot about the five level higher with sword and lance thing! The races and classes from UA are totally off-limits for PC's in my campaign - like others have said, I just use it for the spells and magic items. Oh, and I use the expanded level limits and allowed classes per race chart, as it applies to the PHB races and classes.

Not even the thief-acrobat? Where's the love.

 

[Delta]

I fought tooth and nail against Unearthed Arcana back in the day, I tried logic and got blank looks,
I tried DM Fiat when I DM'ed to not allow it and got a mutiny

then I got to play, and chose the Gnome to try and prove my point.

1/2 way through the adventure I say "I summon an Earth Elemental" people laugh, including the DM. Stone faced I say, "No serious, look it up".

The DM (a really bad one) then killed the Elemental 2 rounds later with a collapsing wall.

That's downright painful to read. Geez.