Sell me on Arcana Evolved.

[SSquirrel]

That said, there are some things I don't like. In general, I feel there are a few feats and spells that are "too good." I've done a fair amount of houseruling in my game. Its not a lot of things, but some of them are so big I just couldn't ignore them. The other thing is AE's magic system is much more offense oriented than 3.5. You will notice a lack of some of 3.5's basic defense spells. Dispelling is much easier in AE, energy resistances aren't as good, and there are some spells (like dimension door) that don't have their counter spell (dimensional anchor), making them more powerful.

Give us your list of house rules. You know ya want to Stalker

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I don't know about Stalker0, but I've only added one HR Feat: Body as Armor (corresponding to Hands as Weapons).

 

[Stalker0]

Give us your list of house rules. You know ya want to Stalker

1) Litorians recieve a -2 to int instead of wis, Sibeccai recieve -2 to wis instead of int. This imo fits the flavor of the races better.
2) Quicken Spell can only be applied to nonoffensive spells. If casting the spell would erase invisibility, it can't be quickened
3) Protective Charm is dismissed when you attack the creature its active on.
4) Wall of Thorns and Burning Thrones were removed from the game. Ghost Weapon now only makes your weapon work against incoporeal creatures.
5) Champions can Call their Weapon and Shield together as a standard action. Call on the power now gives a +2 unnamed bonus to strength and con.
6) The acid template now requires a fort save to nauseate the target instead of its normal stunning effect.
7) Akashics can use skill memory as a free action.
8) The oathsworn is heavily revamped in my game. I created a brand new version that I use.

 

[Stalker0]

double post

 

[SSquirrel]

Exotic spells: I despise that these spells take a feat to learn as written. It ruins the feel of rewarding a player with a cool new spell by forcing him to blow a feat to use it. This wouldnt be so bad if the spells were more powerful than spells of a given level, but they arent. Its blowing a feat for fluff, which I cant stand. All it represents is that its not commonly taught. However, if someone is sitting down and teaching you it (or you uncover a spell formula), its not rare FOR YOU.

Which is when you spend a feat and have learned the spell properly. The Exotic spell system is included to stop all caster spell lists from looking exactly the same. It's also why there are a wide variety of less obviously good spells for combat. How many 1st level wizards in 3E don't memorize Magic Missle? It's stupid not to. It's obviously the best damage spell of its level. I don't think any of the damage spells at 1st level are clearly best in AE. Sorcerous Blast at the 3rd level spell mark is tho

Unique spell: You can only have one, and it has to be taken as a 1st level only feat. Its boring to remove the ability for caster players to research new and fun spells, and adds nothing in return. I nixed this as well.

I've seen threads where Monte has reccomended that if you don't see spells you want in the game, discuss it with your DM and import them from other games or make new ones. I've never seen anyone in any game I've played in the past 18 years actually research and make up a totally new spell.

Some of the spells were obviously designed by people with no d20 experience, the 1st level spells in particular. Given that there are servicable spells in this range, I dont see why these exist. I buffed up a few of the low level spells both me and my players saw as very weak.

It's been admitted that Magic Missle is really almost too good for a 1st level spell, so the spells are all less good than Magic Missle. Monte is the one who designed all the spells I believe and I seem to recall some moderate d20 experience there

If you pick up the book, I recommend using the magic system, and letting the bard, rogue, fighter, barbarian and ranger in from the PHB.

See for me, I'm bored to tears w/the PHB classes and want something completely different. Haven't had a gaming group in way too long, but when I do get around to running, I'm going to have nothing from the PHB added. I don't want it. I'm playing AE to have new experiences, not to blend w/the PHB.

Rangers just suck in 3E and are only slightly better in 3.5. I've also never been a fan of Rangers being spell casters, I just don't see the point. The Bard isn't really covered exactly in AE, but you could mimic one pretty well skill wise w/an Akashic. No Bardic song abilities, but no biggie. Rogue ports over directly, fighter is superfluous when you have Warmain and Unfettered. I disagree with your gripes about the Warmain and see them as a pretty fun alternative. Barbarians are thematically covered by the Totem Warrior. A lot of the Forgotten Realms Barabarians are focused on a totem animal (esp ones in RA Salvatore books) and it fits nicely.

still, you cant fault wotc for going with the classical vencian system. its been there since the days of d&d1, and is more or less expected.

I do fault them for it b/c I've felt the Vancian system is dull and restrictive for years now. D&D needs more sacred cows slaughtered.

 

[glass]

Just a few examples. Quicken Spell is seriously powerful in AE,

Funny, I looked at it and I thought 'who'd ever want to take the AE version of Quicken Spell'.

I suppose it could be a bit overpowered for NPCs, but for PCs? No way; not worth taking.


glass.

 

[glass]

The races were nicely done, and do a better job with "monster class levels" than Savage Species did,

I read that a lot, but I don't really see it. AE Racial Levels and SS Racial Levels really have nothing in common but the name.

IMO, it's not a better approach to the same thing, but a good approach to an enitirely different thing.


glass.

 

[glass]

Agreed. Mageblade is by far the best fighter/mage single class combo around. Duskblade can't even touch it.

I can't comment on the Duskblade, as I don't have a PHBII yet, but Mageblades are nifty.

I'm playing a gestalt Mageblade//Paladin now.


glass.

 

[glass]

I do fault them for it b/c I've felt the Vancian system is dull and restrictive for years now. D&D needs more sacred cows slaughtered.

Ug, no! Some of us like vancian wizards (the rest, I'm not so bothered about).


glass.

 

[Odhanan]

To add about the comments on the magic systems, I'll add that playing a Magister requires a different type of logic than playing a wizard in D&D. It's not only about how much damage, what type of damage you deal for what kind of Saving Throw and attack rolls needed, but also on how you use your spells other than damage dealing ones, what the spells do when they are heightened, lessened and used with spell templates, what race you are and what kind of access to spells you have, how your selection and uses of spells combine with the other characters of the game table and so on and so forth.

That's definitely different. That'll appeal to players who love spellcasters and don't like obvious paths to spellcasting greatness, like to tinker with the possibilities of the spellcasting system and like to be able to do other things than just cast fireballs, magic missiles and acid arrows on the group's ennemies.

If that's what you like about the wizard though, I may add that AE is one of these d20 games that are actually fully compatible with D&D. For me that's a huge plus, given that I have a limited amount of time for gaming and want to play D&D too. So I can play a hybrid game using both AE and D&D rules at the same time in the same campaign. Which is what we've done with my friends for the past two years.