Unbalanced Player Characters?

[Scribble]

I am not a fan of the weird races mess. I see no reason why people cannot stick to core. Their is no reason to be Genasi this or half-whatits that.

There's only so many times you can play the same thing over and over though. I mean if you've been gaming for a long time you tend to want a new experience.

My only stipulation on character race or class is that your motivation should be concept driven as opposed to bonus driven. But that's just me.

If it's a huge problem start everyone at 1st level. Character race doesn't create such a problem then.

 

[Henry]

ALL right, here's the low-down:

An Elan psychic warrior / Psion / Pyrokineticist
This guy is going to be a little on the weak side; splitting his power between PsyWar and Psion is going to hurt him, because his manifester level is still considered separate, same as a Wizard 4 / Sorcerer 1 would still only cast sorcerer spells at 1st level of ability. His power points stack, though. A pyrokineticist can be weak if the Player is not careful; all his powers are fire based, and Fire resistance is the MOST common resistance out there. Plus, because they are class abilities, they can't be energy substituted like some of his powers can. If he only goes to Psion 4, then that's max 4 dice of damage any of his powers can do, though personal buffing and utility spells will be very good for him, since he can do so many low-level ones.


- An Aasimar druid who plans to switch over to the shifter prestige class (from "Masters of the Wild") as soon as possible.
The Master of the Wild Shifter, as others have said, is possibly overpowered. Look at the class carefully and see if there are any changes you might want to make. If you stuck with the 3.0 WIld shaping limitations, I think it would be fine, but the 3.5 wildshaping can unbalance this class in short order, because IIRC it gives more than just STR / DEX / CON and extraordinary abilities.
The Aasimar gives a +2 to WIS and CHA, and some elemental resistance 5's. nothing too far unbalanced, but remember that 3.5 Wildshaping CHANGES THE CREATURE TYPE (I believe), so if he shifts, he LOSES those resistances, as well as the light spells once per day.

- An Air Genasi with the swashbuckler alternat core class from "Complete Warrior.

The Complete warrior swashbuckler I have NO experience with. I doubt severely that this guy would be overpowered, and in fact should be a good mobility-specific fighter - but be careful if you throw any stand-up attrition fights at him.

Air genasi's are not overpowered, and in truth I don't think they should qualify for Level adjustment +1, but that's my opinion.

(I think I can handle the halfling cleric, the token sane character concept... )
OH MY GOD! THEY ARE SO BROKEN!!!!

(Sorry, I figured you just had to hear that at least once in this thread...)


This party need not be boring at all, but in fact one plot thread strikes me immediately - three of the party have extraplanar origins! It strikes me that they are on Faerun for a purpose - someone put the wheels in motion that caused these three to be born - Perhaps the unknown entity that arranged for a celestial to pair with a human, and who arranged a djinni to pair with another human, also caused the death of the human who would one day become an Elan!!!

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

I would allow them to progress very, very slowly until you arer comfortable with what they have. Trust me, you do not want to get yourself in a situation where you find yourself completely buried under a bunch of powers and abilities that - while legal - have you in fits.

I suspect that after you get used to them you will know what kind of monsters and items will be challenging to them. However, I would take it easy at first. Also, do not be afraid to be up front and honest with them, telling them that you are a little out of your element with these and to be patient with you.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Look out for shifters who transform into twelve headed pyrohydras. They're a real pain in the butt.
Everything else looks pretty good. As said psion/psychic warrior is a week combo. It's like playing a sorcerer/wizard.

All the races are fine IMO.
It just doesn't make sense that logically a world would evolve/have so many sentient humanoid races that would all survive without wiping each other out. But thats another rant.

 

[Thanee]

That surely sounds like an unusual band of characters. Have fun!


One question: What is so bad about the Shifter? They don't get any more abilities than a Wizard with Polymorph ((Su), (Sp), (Ex) other than attacks) when they change form, or do they? And Polymorph allows most of those forms, too.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Scribble]

It just doesn't make sense that logically a world would evolve/have so many sentient humanoid races that would all survive without wiping each other out. But thats another rant.

Haha that's actually an issue I have with tons and tons of monsterous manuals. I mean geez if all of these monsters were in the world they'd be stacked miles high like firewood! haha

Not to mention the fact that there'd be no real reason for humans to be so powerfull...

 

[Wrahn]

Shifters get more they can change into over polymorph, they get the feats of the creature they change into and they do not get the type. Their mental stats are unchanged and retain all extrordinary abilities (but lose Supernatural and spell like abilities).

I will assure you that at high levels (15+) you will be hoping they change into a 12 headed pyrohydra (rather than tunnelling around obstacles, laughing at spell casters or changing into pebbles to listen in on the bad guys (animated objects are constructs ). But the simple truth is, as obnoxious as they can be, Shapeshift trumps them completely.

I played one to 22nd level, I think I was possible the biggest headache the DM had to deal with.

 

[Corsair]

Snipping everything except pertinent info:

...Forgotten Realms campaign.

- An Elan psychic warrior, who plans to advance as a psion until he can meet the prerequisites for the pyrokineticist prestige class.

- An Aasimar druid who plans to switch over to the shifter prestige class (from "Masters of the Wild") as soon as possible.

- An Air Genasi with the swashbuckler alternat core class from "Complete Warrior.

I don't see any problems here except the shifter.

First things first: You're playing in forgotten realms, so that means the Aasimar and Genasi aren't THAT unusual. They are listed right there in the campaign setting and PGtF! It isn't like they are trying to use the White Dragonspawn template from Dragonlance. However if you are starting at level 1, you are free to disallow the LA +1 races. Either that, or use the old savage progressions articles to try to have them "work up to" LA +1. Last option is the "lesser" versions of the LA races as presented in back of the PGtF. None of these are bad solutions, they just depend on your play style.

Pyro: As others have said, its not nearly as powerful as you think it is. You get fire powers, but you lose progression in anything else. No high-level psi powers for this guy, and he's pretty much useless against anything with heavy resistances.

Shifter: You'd be well within your rights to say "Sorry, no 3.0 PrCs." Have him use a Nature's Warrior or Warshaper if he wants, but the shifter was a bit out of whack. (Actually a lot of MotW was... Miasma anyone?) As others have said, this is the one to watch out for.

Swashbuckler: I love this class. Gets some neat abilities, more skill points, and leads into some of the more skill-heavy warrior prestige classes (duelist for instance) better than a fighter. Not over powered at all.

 

[The Goblin King]

From the title I thought this thread was going to be about Chaotic Evil characters.

But yeah, the only one I think would be kind of unbalanced is the Shifter. From what you said I gather the party is going to be starting at level 1 so you have a while before you have to cross that bridge.

 

[Sejs]

Heh, just remember, you can't turn into something you're not familiar with (fought against or studied thruoughly). So if you've fought ogres, hey look you can be an ogre - but if you've never seen a hydra outside of hearing about one in a story and maybe seeing a woodcut or two, they you certainly ain't turnin' into no 12 headed pyrohydra.


That being said, the Shifter -will- try to use the MM and other monster books as a shopping list. That's what Shifters do.