Theoretical Class Balance

[Thurbane]

I'm sure I've seen this discussed before, but anyway, here's my question:

Would a theoretical class, "The Everyman", be balanced as follows:

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d12
Base Attack Bonus: Good
Saving Throws: Three good
Class Skills: All
Skill Points per Level: 8
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields)
Other Class Features: None

 

[avr]

You've just described the perfect class to start with at level 1. Any non-spellcaster would take this for their first level or 2, and some spellcasters would also.

If most characters would take it, then its probably unbalanced; this is the case here IMO.

 

[Nifft]

One level is a no-brainer for Rogues (whose 20th level class ability is "you remembered to multiclass, right?")

Four levels is a strong start for a Changeling Warshaper.

It's not that it's unbalanced, but it's boring, and in the context of some rules variants (e.g. Gestalt) it could easily be broken.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Slaved]

Simple, easy, boring, and probably close enough to balanced to not matter.

A much more complicated way of doing something similar would be to give them something less than the best at everything but have the characters ability scores count extra. For example at each level of this class the characters intelligence bonus could count double for skill points and the characters constitution bonus counts as double for that level and so on.

 

[Pinotage]

You've just described the perfect class to start with at level 1. Any non-spellcaster would take this for their first level or 2, and some spellcasters would also.

If most characters would take it, then its probably unbalanced; this is the case here IMO.

Absolutely. It's a no-brainer for most classes, except spellcasting classes. Rogues, definitely. Fighters, certainly. The good saves alone is with two feats (the save increase feats), and add to that all the weapon feats you get for free, it's a grand class for first level. If anything supplants a base class at level 1, it's too strong. Perhaps have one good save, but leave the choice up to the player, and give simple weapon and light armor only, perhaps with shields. Reduce skill points to 4.

It's difficult to make it enticing to all classes without making it overpowered.

Pinotage

 

[MithrasRahl]

If the idea here is to make an everyman class that you want people to stick to, give them it in fits and spurts.

Start them off with light armor and simple weapons, and as the levels progress add medium, heavy, martial, even exotic.

Keep the good base attack bonus, but give them 1/1/1 save to start, and progress it slowly with a jump every 4th level.

Give them 4 skill points per level, but every third level they get a lump sum of skill points to spend as a class feature.

 

[shilsen]

As the previous posters have noted, the big problem with the class is that it's too good for a 1-lvl dip, beating anything in the PHB in that area. So here's a suggestion to get the same mechanical results you suggested, but without the 1st lvl dip issue, by turning a lot of the benefits into class features:

"The Everyman"
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Base Attack Bonus: Good
Saving Throws: All poor
Class Skills: Any eight
Skill Points per Level: 4
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor and shields (excluding tower shields)
Other Class Features: see below

Improved Toughness: The Everyman gains the Improved Toughness feat at 3rd and 7th level

Improved Saves: The Everyman gains a +1 competence bonus to all saves at 3rd level. This competence bonus increases by +1 every 3 levels (to +2 at 6th, +3 at 9th, etc.), to a maximum of +6 at 18th.

Improved Learning: The Everyman can add a new skill to his class skill list at every odd level starting with 3rd (3rd, 5th, 7th, etc.).

Bonus Skill Pts: The Everyman gains 8 extra skill pts at every even level (2nd, 4th, etc.)

Weapon proficiency: The Everyman gains proficiency with all Martial weapons at 4th level

Armor proficiency: The Everyman gains Medium Armor Proficiency at 2nd lvl, Heavy Armor Proficiency at 5th lvl, and becomes proficient with tower shields at 8th lvl

 

[Thurbane]

Thanks for the feedback. I especially like your take on the class, Shilsen.

 

[shilsen]

Thanks for the feedback. I especially like your take on the class, Shilsen.

Glad to help. It's not particularly creative, since I just took what would be the end results of your design across 20 levels and broke it up into a regular progression. But it does get the job done.