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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ferghis" data-source="post: 6092927" data-attributes="member: 40483">They aren't necessarily TOO high. They're just more than what other themes give you. As I said, if you want to run a high-power campaign, feel free. Just be aware that characters who don't select this theme will be comparatively less powerful.You answered your own question regarding the clustering of benefits. And, as I said above, if the theme of the campaign is hunting aberrations, then the bonuses are much less conditional. It's like giving a Lawful paladin a bonus to damage evil targets - it's gonna apply most of the time. And this wouldn't be much of a problem (after all, who wants a conditional bonus that rarely applies?), but the bonuses are very high and untyped, meaning they stack with all other bonuses.Let's compare the +2 to hit to the one gained by the purple dragon theme's power (one of the better themes, if you can meet the prerequisites). That one is an untyped +1, but it only applies to basic melee attacks, and only if you're not using the other purple dragon stance's options, and only one round after you've spent a minor action to start up the stance. Do you see how the bonus you give is better in almost every possible way?We could compare the damage bonus to the sohei theme (another excellent theme, particularly for weapon strikers). The sohei starting encounter power grants a minor action weapon attack that does [W] bonus without adding an ability score. This scales well with level, but at first level, you're basically adding half a weapon die in damage once per encounter, assuming you hit. Your bonus adds more than most weapon damage averages to every attack, no attack roll necessary. Granted, it applies only to aberrant creatures, but, as I said, that's a campaign thing. Other conditional damage bonuses usually add one point of TYPED bonus per tier. Astral Fire, for example, adds 1 feat bonus to fire and radiant damage per tier. You frontload 5 untyped points. Also, what Abdul said is absolutely correct. Look at the wizard level 2 utility power Shield (which is an encounter power, I believe), which is widely considered a relatively good power for that level. Your utility is WAY more powerful, and competes for the same slot.</blockquote>

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