Two topics on Tradition Balance
ATTRIBUTES
IMHO, I would recommend a balance in Attribute points given out by each "group" of Traditions since we have 2 tiers - Starter/Background and Class-based tradition.
Currently for instance it looks like most Starter Traditions assign a base of 4 Attribute points with the exception of Slave, which should be brought up to 4 points (for instance STR +1 & END +2 [representing hard labor], WIL +1). Then none are technically more "optimal" out of the gate (though anything with a +2 vs +1 in a desired stat could still be seen as more optimal but its a much smaller margin).
The rest of the Traditions seem to be all over the place making many of them much more optimal than the others (e.g. ranging from +3 to +7). I would rather see these built on a common frame of say +6 Attribute points. Less abuse for "new" traditions and more balanced vs. heavy optimization.
(Example - Thug: Currently only +4 so change to = STR +1, AGI +1, END +2, CHA +1, GC +1)
For instance in GlassEye's example of "Mage 4 vs. Mage 2, FireMage 1, Necromancer 1" from the XP thread...
Part of the issue here might be curtailed by balancing the Attribute points since we get:
* Mage = +5 attribute points per Grade
* FireMage = +6 attribute points per Grade
* Necromancer = +7 attribute points per Grade
So right out the gate, the Mage 4 is already at a 3 attribute point disadvantage. Then when we spend the upgrades to go to Mage 5 (5k xp) and Mage 2 / Fire 2 / Necro 2 (4K xp) the Mage 5 is now at a 6 point attribute disadvantage. Its not just MAG that is lagging but the whole attribute/dice pool scale.
NON-CASTER TRADITIONS vs CASTER TRADITIONS
This also brings up another point. Since Caster Classes get the equivalent of a Free +1,000 xp bonus per grade in the form of a new Spell List, perhaps you should look at giving the non-caster Traditions something in this slot as well? Perhaps something like one of these depending on the Tradition?
* +1 to one Attribute of choice from: (list of 3; not necessarily from the tradition list?)
* Choose 1 skill from this Tradition. That skill may have a Grade +1 above your tier restriction. May only choose each skill once. (Thus at Grade 5/Tier 4 you could have some skills at Grade 5.)
* Choose 1 skill from X tradition as a bonus skill.
Examples of how they would look, using Burglar:
* +1 to one Attribute of choice from: STR, END, REP
* Choose 1 skill from this Tradition. That skill may have a Grade +1 above your tier restriction. May only choose each skill once. (Thus could potentially have 5 skills at Grade 5 by Tier 4.)
* Choose 1 skill from the Alchemist tradition as a bonus skill.
This is spawned from Morrus's request to split topics into new threads.
Original thread: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?354637-Previewing-the-new-XP-system
ATTRIBUTES
IMHO, I would recommend a balance in Attribute points given out by each "group" of Traditions since we have 2 tiers - Starter/Background and Class-based tradition.
Currently for instance it looks like most Starter Traditions assign a base of 4 Attribute points with the exception of Slave, which should be brought up to 4 points (for instance STR +1 & END +2 [representing hard labor], WIL +1). Then none are technically more "optimal" out of the gate (though anything with a +2 vs +1 in a desired stat could still be seen as more optimal but its a much smaller margin).
The rest of the Traditions seem to be all over the place making many of them much more optimal than the others (e.g. ranging from +3 to +7). I would rather see these built on a common frame of say +6 Attribute points. Less abuse for "new" traditions and more balanced vs. heavy optimization.
(Example - Thug: Currently only +4 so change to = STR +1, AGI +1, END +2, CHA +1, GC +1)
For instance in GlassEye's example of "Mage 4 vs. Mage 2, FireMage 1, Necromancer 1" from the XP thread...
Part of the issue here might be curtailed by balancing the Attribute points since we get:
* Mage = +5 attribute points per Grade
* FireMage = +6 attribute points per Grade
* Necromancer = +7 attribute points per Grade
So right out the gate, the Mage 4 is already at a 3 attribute point disadvantage. Then when we spend the upgrades to go to Mage 5 (5k xp) and Mage 2 / Fire 2 / Necro 2 (4K xp) the Mage 5 is now at a 6 point attribute disadvantage. Its not just MAG that is lagging but the whole attribute/dice pool scale.
NON-CASTER TRADITIONS vs CASTER TRADITIONS
This also brings up another point. Since Caster Classes get the equivalent of a Free +1,000 xp bonus per grade in the form of a new Spell List, perhaps you should look at giving the non-caster Traditions something in this slot as well? Perhaps something like one of these depending on the Tradition?
* +1 to one Attribute of choice from: (list of 3; not necessarily from the tradition list?)
* Choose 1 skill from this Tradition. That skill may have a Grade +1 above your tier restriction. May only choose each skill once. (Thus at Grade 5/Tier 4 you could have some skills at Grade 5.)
* Choose 1 skill from X tradition as a bonus skill.
Examples of how they would look, using Burglar:
* +1 to one Attribute of choice from: STR, END, REP
* Choose 1 skill from this Tradition. That skill may have a Grade +1 above your tier restriction. May only choose each skill once. (Thus could potentially have 5 skills at Grade 5 by Tier 4.)
* Choose 1 skill from the Alchemist tradition as a bonus skill.
This is spawned from Morrus's request to split topics into new threads.
Original thread: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?354637-Previewing-the-new-XP-system
