The Fringes of Kara-Tur

[Nemesis Destiny]

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Fringes of Kara-Tur)

The latest themes article is up, and I have a few thoughts on it.

First, I notice that the skill bonuses are typed now, which is a step in the right direction to getting the ridiculous power creep under control. Sadly, they made it a 'power' bonus, which does very little to actually keep the numbers under control. If you want my opinion, bonuses from background and theme should be feat bonuses. The stacking options are just getting out of hand. You should not under any circumstances be able to build a character that can routinely hit DCs a full tier above your level.

Second, the themes presented are nice and flavourful, but it looks like the Sohei theme is going to be the new Kulkor Arms Master, but for multiattackers. For the level 1 theme feature, you get an encounter power minor action attack that does a flat 1[W], no modifier. The only requirement is that you have hit something this turn.

The second point doesn't particularly bother me, per se. After all, "it's just damage." The guy in my group that likes playing controllers pointed that out to me when I asked him why he didn't like playing strikers. He went on to say, "you can fudge damage. It's easy to have the monsters die when you think they're good and ready, but conditions.... not so much."

I desperately want to mulch his character.

Anyway, enough ranting from me for now.

 

[Mengu]

I mostly like both themes. Four months ago, I'd be screaming bloody murder about the minor action attack from a theme, but after the advent of Guardian, Iron Wolf, Pack Outcast, etc, this doesn't bother me as much, Sohei can just be another top of the line theme. It's the mildest of the bunch. I might switch to this theme for my avenger.

The only thing that bothers me is that Sohei, a theme with oriental flavor, doesn't work for the monk.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I kinda wish I could make my thri-kreen ranger (whose schtick is to get as many attacks as possible in a round) a sohei...Standard Action: Twin Strike. Move Action -> Minor Action: Off-Hand Strike. Minor Action: Sohei Flair. Not An Action: The Hunter's Quarry damage, and the Monk's Flurry of Blows that I got as a Multiclass feat. Action Point: Some Ranger power that lets me make at least two attacks (Scything Blow?) or that lets me move as part of the power (Throw And Stab?).

In a theoretical scenario where she was surrounded by 8 enemies, she could damage...what, 7 of them?...with this set up. OR, she could wail on one enemy about 8-10 times (and spread a little bit around). Each one possibly with a 1d10 Versatile weapon, with the right build (My girl's not built that way, but still...), and this would be at Level 1.

Yeah, that's hilarious. I'll be rolling more damage and attack rolls than the party's controller, I'm sure. HAHAHAHAHA!

 

[The Little Raven]

The only thing that bothers me is that Sohei, a theme with oriental flavor, doesn't work for the monk.

I think that's intentional. It feels like the sohei is a way to add a little monk-flavor to a non-monk character.