The Barbarian Agility feature, a first among scaling bonuses, actually works. The barbarian gets no stat to AC, losing on the gradual +4 bonus other classes get. Instead, he gets a fixed +1 bonus, compensating for average starting Dex, and a gradual +2 bonus, half what optimized classes get.
If that bonus did not half-scale as it does, the Con barbarian would only have a single scaling defense out of four, which is totally horrible (heavy armor becoming a necessity). But by getting two half-scaling bonuses, his defenses scale as much as other single-defense-boosting builds (Con fighter, Dex wizard). The Cha barbarian gets two full-scaling defenses and two half-scaling ones, on par with double-defense-boosting builds.
Note that the barbarian is still at a disadvantage since AC is more important than other defenses.
Theorically, a barbarian could abuse his Agility feature by starting with a high Dex and boosting it every chance, granting him exceptional Striker AC and rogue-like Ref at high levels, but things would stay in control for a couple of reasons:
- Boosting Dex for AC and Ref would leech from either Con for HP or Cha for Will.
- Leaving a secondary stat behind worsens class features and some power bonuses.
- At worst, the barbarian gets +2 AC and Ref as levels rise.
- The flavor would be off. I think players will simply choose to forfeit Dex or boost it only half of the time (a nice compromise).
What's really broken, though, as mentioned, is the avenger's Armor of Faith.
Both avenger builds get scaling AC through a secondary stat. They only start with cloth proficiency, but even then are competitive with rogue and ranger AC, being only one point behind at most (assuming a 4-point stat gap with rogues and a 2-point stat and 1-point armor gap with rangers). Leather Armor Proficiency, a no-brainer feat, makes them surpass both other melee strikers with little effort; rogues and rangers can't buy higher AC as easily.
Let's say the rogue gets Hide Proficency and Hide Specialization, both feats he can qualify for much easier than the avenger.
The avenger just takes the no-brainer Improved Armor of Faith and outclasses the rogue forever more. He might even take the same feats the rogue did, but his stats don't lend themselves to that as much.
I didn't even mention the high avenger HP. The warden, druid and barbarian get atypically high HP but low AC to compensate; the avenger just gets high HP and AC out of the box, with an option for 3-5 more AC for the low price of two feats with no prereqisites or penalty.
Actually, the avenger's max attainable AC is tied with shielded heavy armor users'... but the latter require the nigh-unanimously broken Agile Armor for its potential +3 bonus.
Proposed solution:
- Armor of Faith, as the name implies, is an armor bonus, thus doesn't stack with Leather or Hide armor.
- Improved Armor of Faith stays at +1 (and stays a no-brainer feat!).
That makes the avenger par with the other melee strikers as far as AC is concerned. The avenger gets slightly ahead because his +1 feat bonus to AC has no prerequisites (a very minor advantage). For some reason, his HP is higher... but I think the nerf-hammer has hit hard enough for now.
To my surprise, arguments against the unbalancedness of Armor of Faith are numerous and as follow:
- The avenger is hard to properly leader-assist, so he must have crazy survivability.
- His AC is irrelevant, he'll get hit in the NADs regardless.
- He's not broken until he's spent two feats and gained a few levels.
- At worst, he's untouchable, and his party dies instead.
I'll let you judge their validity yourself.
If that bonus did not half-scale as it does, the Con barbarian would only have a single scaling defense out of four, which is totally horrible (heavy armor becoming a necessity). But by getting two half-scaling bonuses, his defenses scale as much as other single-defense-boosting builds (Con fighter, Dex wizard). The Cha barbarian gets two full-scaling defenses and two half-scaling ones, on par with double-defense-boosting builds.
Note that the barbarian is still at a disadvantage since AC is more important than other defenses.
Theorically, a barbarian could abuse his Agility feature by starting with a high Dex and boosting it every chance, granting him exceptional Striker AC and rogue-like Ref at high levels, but things would stay in control for a couple of reasons:
- Boosting Dex for AC and Ref would leech from either Con for HP or Cha for Will.
- Leaving a secondary stat behind worsens class features and some power bonuses.
- At worst, the barbarian gets +2 AC and Ref as levels rise.
- The flavor would be off. I think players will simply choose to forfeit Dex or boost it only half of the time (a nice compromise).
What's really broken, though, as mentioned, is the avenger's Armor of Faith.
Both avenger builds get scaling AC through a secondary stat. They only start with cloth proficiency, but even then are competitive with rogue and ranger AC, being only one point behind at most (assuming a 4-point stat gap with rogues and a 2-point stat and 1-point armor gap with rangers). Leather Armor Proficiency, a no-brainer feat, makes them surpass both other melee strikers with little effort; rogues and rangers can't buy higher AC as easily.
Let's say the rogue gets Hide Proficency and Hide Specialization, both feats he can qualify for much easier than the avenger.
The avenger just takes the no-brainer Improved Armor of Faith and outclasses the rogue forever more. He might even take the same feats the rogue did, but his stats don't lend themselves to that as much.
I didn't even mention the high avenger HP. The warden, druid and barbarian get atypically high HP but low AC to compensate; the avenger just gets high HP and AC out of the box, with an option for 3-5 more AC for the low price of two feats with no prereqisites or penalty.
Actually, the avenger's max attainable AC is tied with shielded heavy armor users'... but the latter require the nigh-unanimously broken Agile Armor for its potential +3 bonus.
Proposed solution:
- Armor of Faith, as the name implies, is an armor bonus, thus doesn't stack with Leather or Hide armor.
- Improved Armor of Faith stays at +1 (and stays a no-brainer feat!).
That makes the avenger par with the other melee strikers as far as AC is concerned. The avenger gets slightly ahead because his +1 feat bonus to AC has no prerequisites (a very minor advantage). For some reason, his HP is higher... but I think the nerf-hammer has hit hard enough for now.
To my surprise, arguments against the unbalancedness of Armor of Faith are numerous and as follow:
- The avenger is hard to properly leader-assist, so he must have crazy survivability.
- His AC is irrelevant, he'll get hit in the NADs regardless.
- He's not broken until he's spent two feats and gained a few levels.
- At worst, he's untouchable, and his party dies instead.
I'll let you judge their validity yourself.
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