Using the Akashic in D&D 3.5

[Cam Banks]

Need I do anything to this AU class in order for it to be balanced with other D&D classes? My wife's very keen to play one, the abilities sound like a lot of fun, and there's a lot of room for customization.

Anyone had experience with importing it to D&D?

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Alejandro]

Should be little to no difficulties importing it as is, assuming the akashic memory exists in your campaign. The few spell-like abilities (Object Loresight, Lesser Learn Secret, etc.) may require more scrutiny, however, but on the whole this is almost as easy to port as the unfettered.

 

[Piratecat]

This is one of my favorite classes in AU. I was really impressed by it.

 

[Cam Banks]

The biggest surprise I had when looking it over was that all skills are class skills for the akashic. This has the added effect of removing all cross-class skill rank caps for multiclassing, too - since my wife's current plan is to play an akashic/swashbuckler, it will make skills the primary focus and that's not a bad thing. Even rogues can't manage that.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Anyone had experience with importing it to D&D?

Cheers,
Cam

A little.

I'd suggest deciding if they get the extra bonus feat that all AU characters get or not. If not, I'd use the 3.# XP table for them.

You'll also want to decide if they get access to 3.# feats or AU feats. I'd go with either one or the other. Personally, I'd give them access to the AU feats since the class is designed that way and not permit use of 3.# feats. Or at least not ones that would stack disgustingly like Rapid Shot and Rapid Reload.

Note that there are slight differences between AU skills and D&D. Sneak in AU incorporates Move Silently and Hide. Profession was erased from AU. These are nitpicky things though that don't impact the class in the long term.

You need to decide what role the Akashic Memory plays in your game. Rename it and revise it as need be. Essentially their ability to retrieve information from it is like Bardic Knowledge.

Finally, consider that they have access to abilities mimicing creature loresight and object loresight. Do you have these in your game? If not, just read over those spells. They require either more thinking on one's feet (if the PC uses it at an unexpected moment) or more preparation (I like to have a set of ten answers to those questions to pull from).

I would certainly recommend allowing it though. They are very cool PCs.

 

[Krieg]

MMMmmm...Mentats....Oh sorry.

 

[Cam Banks]

A little.

I'd suggest deciding if they get the extra bonus feat that all AU characters get or not. If not, I'd use the 3.# XP table for them.

They'll definitely use the same XP chart everybody else does. This character's multiclassing akashic with a D&D 3.5 class from the Complete Warrior, so it's a given.

You'll also want to decide if they get access to 3.# feats or AU feats. I'd go with either one or the other. Personally, I'd give them access to the AU feats since the class is designed that way and not permit use of 3.# feats. Or at least not ones that would stack disgustingly like Rapid Shot and Rapid Reload.

The only feat I'm going to borrow from AU is Eidetic Memory, which will be this character's 1st level feat. Otherwise, it's the standard 3.5 feat list.

Note that there are slight differences between AU skills and D&D. Sneak in AU incorporates Move Silently and Hide. Profession was erased from AU. These are nitpicky things though that don't impact the class in the long term.

Seeing as the akashic has all skills as class skills, this difference won't enter into it. She'll use the 3.5 skill list.

You need to decide what role the Akashic Memory plays in your game. Rename it and revise it as need be. Essentially their ability to retrieve information from it is like Bardic Knowledge.

Yep. Got that covered! She's going to be an aesthetic from the Great Library of Palanthas, adventuring in order to recover lost manuscripts and histories. The akashic record will be a rare talent among aesthetics bequeathed to them by the departed Astinus which allows them to tap into the Tobril, the book which the God of Knowledge carries with him and which holds all the knowledge in the world.

Finally, consider that they have access to abilities mimicing creature loresight and object loresight. Do you have these in your game? If not, just read over those spells. They require either more thinking on one's feet (if the PC uses it at an unexpected moment) or more preparation (I like to have a set of ten answers to those questions to pull from).

I would certainly recommend allowing it though. They are very cool PCs.

Thanks for your suggestions. Any special abilities which don't seem to have suitable corresponding D&D spells or effects can simply be left off the list. Otherwise, sounds good!

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Yep. Got that covered! She's going to be an aesthetic from the Great Library of Palanthas, adventuring in order to recover lost manuscripts and histories. The akashic record will be a rare talent among aesthetics bequeathed to them by the departed Astinus which allows them to tap into the Tobril, the book which the God of Knowledge carries with him and which holds all the knowledge in the world.

That's a great alternative for the Akashic Record. If you develop this further, would you be interested in sending it to us at www.diamondthrone.com to share with the other fans?

Thanks for your suggestions. Any special abilities which don't seem to have suitable corresponding D&D spells or effects can simply be left off the list. Otherwise, sounds good!

Cheers,
Cam

Glad I could be helpful. My one comment here though is that you can easily photocopy (or print from the pdf depending on what you have) these few abilities. They define the class and allow them to function as a non-magical backup to a wizard in terms of information gathering. So I'd suggest allowing them. It's no different from a special ability in a PrC, it's just that it using rules referenced elsewhere.

In fact, I highly recommend spells like object loresight to any DM. They advance rather than hinder the plot. They give PCs more information but in small chunks so they search out more based on what they learn. It's a godsend for the DM really. No longer do I have to wait two years for PCs to figure out some of my (supposed) cleverness.

 

[Cam Banks]

That's a great alternative for the Akashic Record. If you develop this further, would you be interested in sending it to us at www.diamondthrone.com to share with the other fans?

I'm planning on writing up an article that covers using the akashic as a character class for Dragonlance, so if I end up doing it I'll send a link your way, certainly!

Glad I could be helpful. My one comment here though is that you can easily photocopy (or print from the pdf depending on what you have) these few abilities. They define the class and allow them to function as a non-magical backup to a wizard in terms of information gathering. So I'd suggest allowing them. It's no different from a special ability in a PrC, it's just that it using rules referenced elsewhere.

You raise some good points. I'll have to see what she ends up wanting to do - there's a lot to choose from, and since she's a more active and outgoing sort of akashic (with the swashbuckler levels), she may end up taking sneak attack, a bonus feat, etc.

Cheers,
Cam