When you know the ECL isn't fair

[CLAVDIVS]

Thanks for all your suggestions and comments. We have a week at least before the next session, so we have some time to figure out an optimal solution.

I liked nothing to see here's suggestion about divorcing LA from HD, I only wish the math for it were simpler. A few people have suggested just eyeballing a reduced LA, or replacing racial HD with class levels. The relative simplicity of those ideas appeal to me. I'll admit I'd prefer reducing LA to dropping racial HD: HD are fairly objective and inherent to the character, while LA is much more subjective and is just an artificial balance tool.

Sullivan's suggestion of "take levels till it hurts" sounds the simplest and most practical, leaving the bulk of the character intact and just dialing it up until it's balanced. I'll bring it up with the rest of the group, what I might suggest is cutting the LA in half (to +3) at first and see how it plays. Another 3 levels of bard will get him 5th-level spells (and he'll get bonus ones with his Cha score) and inspire heroics (which is just cool).

If anyone has any more suggestions, keep 'em coming. I'll post an update when we decide what to do.

 

[the Jester]

There's an ECL 21 doppelganger imc, but he's also fairly underpowered- he's got (iirc) 13 character levels, 4 racial HD and a +4 LA. The low hps really hurt in an epic party- especially since he's one of the lowest level (by which I mean ECL) members of the party. I've been mulling a fix for a while, but this thread is really inspiring.

I'll be watching for your report.

 

[Campbell]

HD are fairly objective and inherent to the character, while LA is much more subjective and is just an artificial balance tool.

However, treating all HD the same isn't very consistent no matter how you spin it.

 

[Zoatebix]

Wow - the suggestions here are suprisingly close to what Upper_Krust's "Challenging Challenge Ratings" document says to do. The most popular (and I think reasonable) suggestion here is to give the character 3 more levels of Bard, and - depending on whether or not you apply U_K's "silver rule" to monster characters - U_K's rules say to give the character 4 or 2 more levels in a character class to balance it with the rest of the party.

 

[D+1]

When the fur starts to fly, even with his phenomenal stats he's about as effective as a succubus and a 12th-level bard teaming up (or less so, because of available actions), and two level-12's just don't add up to a level-24.

Sort of like how a multiclassed 12/12 fighter/mage is nowhere near as effective as, say, a level 24 cleric? I think the effect of a very high ECL is the same. You ARE trading a great deal away and it's going to show, especially when the level split among "classes" is close to equal.

But there's no shame in trading out a weaker character for a much stronger one. You really have to be getting more from the roleplaying experience with your character to be willing to be a wimp compared to other PC's. I also imagine it's easy for the "new" to wear off of more exotic character concepts, though I seldom get so exotic as to even need to HAVE an ECL so take that for what it's worth.