Would you do or allow this?

[Limper]

Thought of a new system for Character enhancing, but keeping it simple.

Once per level a Player may choose to take a +1 ECL. Why do this well for the following.....

You get 4 points! What are the points for you ask?

4 points = +1 to an Att.

3 points for a feat

2 points +1 to 1 save

1 point of a HP

1 point for 2 skill points.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I think it's a good idea but it seems awfully stingy.

+1 ECL for 4 extra hit points!?! You'd almost certainly get that many levelling up even in wizard (assuming a small con bonus) and you'd get skills, saves, and spellcasting progression as well.

+1 ECL for +1 to a single stat!?! That doesn't even guarantee +1 to any rolls. Levelling up in any class will get you much more than that.

Extra feats and skill points for +1 ECL? Unless the skill or feats are broken that's pretty weak. You'd be better off taking a level of fighter or rogue and getting lots of other goodies with your feat and/or skill points.

What kind of stuff do you currently get for +1 ECL?
Aasmar: +2 wis, +2 cha, elemental resistances, light 1/day, +2 spot, listen checks. outsider type.

Tiefling: +2 dex, +2 int, -2 cha, elemental resistances, darkness 1/day, outsider type. +2 bluff/hide

Clearly, the current +1 ECL races offer far more than you do for that level (and even then, it's not usually a good powergaming choice).

For a system like you're proposing, what would I do?
Character Creation:
Normal: PHB races, Attributes 28 points (use point buy system as described in PHB.
+1 ECL: Aasimar or Tiefling with 28 points for attributes or PHB race with 36 points for attributes.

I would not allow extra feats or skill ranks in return for an ECL. Characters can get feats and skill ranks with levels. If they want a feat, they can play a human or choose fighter levels. If they want skill points, they can take levels in rogue (or possibly expert--I'd be willing to power that up to the level of a PC class) or put attribute points into intelligence.

 

[Limper]

The intention of this was suplimental to the effects of race, class and level. It can also be done any time the player levels once per.

I was throwing it out for those players who just HAVE to get something now rather than 3 levels or so latter.

Would you recomend bumping up the benefits of taking a ECL hit?

+2 to an Att?

2 hps?

3 skill points?

 

[der_kluge]

You have to balance out taking just a +1 ECL with taking any other class.

That means that, if I'm taking a level of rogue, I get 8+int skill points. Could I get that from your +1 ECL? If not, I'll just take a level of rogue, and I'll get saving throw increases, and maybe a BAB increase as well.

YMMV, but you could just implement an unnamed class that provides no real special abilities. Every level taken in said class results in the following:
8 + int skill points
+1 to any attribute
no saving throw progression
no BAB progression

That would be a fair enough trade off. I mean, you're competing with +1 caster level for spellcasters.

 

[FireLance]

You have to balance out taking just a +1 ECL with taking any other class.

That means that, if I'm taking a level of rogue, I get 8+int skill points. Could I get that from your +1 ECL? If not, I'll just take a level of rogue, and I'll get saving throw increases, and maybe a BAB increase as well.

YMMV, but you could just implement an unnamed class that provides no real special abilities. Every level taken in said class results in the following:
8 + int skill points
+1 to any attribute
no saving throw progression
no BAB progression

That would be a fair enough trade off. I mean, you're competing with +1 caster level for spellcasters.

Actually, I was thinking that the following four prestige classes are possible:

1. Featmaster - every level taken gives one feat. BAB as wizard, all saves poor, 1d4+Con hp, 2+Int skill points, any existing non-exclusive class skills that the character has are class skills.

2. Skillmaster - BAB as wizard, all saves poor, 1d4+Con hp, 8+Int skill points, all skills including exclusive class skills are class skills.

3. Savemaster - BAB as wizard, all saves good, 1d4+Con hp, 2+Int skill points, any existing non-exclusive class skills that the character has are class skills.

4. Statmaster - every level taken gives a +1 to any ability score, BAB as wizard, all saves poor, 1d4+Con hp, 2+Int skill points, any existing non-exclusive class skills that the character has are class skills.

Anybody feel like writing them up?

 

[RangerWickett]

In Four-Color to Fantasy, Natural 20 Press's superhero toolkit, you buy super powers with Hero Points, and you get Hero Points based on your level. Thus, if you limit your 'super powers' only to things that resemble racial abilities or something, you can basically use the super power rules as an ECL construction ruleset.

 

[Limper]

Is that a sales pitch?

 

[RangerWickett]

It's only a sales pitch because I thought you'd like it! If you don't want it, that's cool. Goodness knows that there've been enough times someone has mentioned they're publishing something, and I've felt disappointed, because I wanted to eventually write it, and they got to it first. So sorry if I intruded.

 

[Limper]

You weren't intruding... I thank you for the suggestion, I'll take it under concideration. I probably should have out a emoticon on post... I was taking a stab at witty.


I am all about sloth... the less I have to write (just a tweek or two is best) the happier I am. The only exception are adventures and settings... I never use premade adventures or settings.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

So is this kind of like buying levels on an installment plan? The player gets two levels now and for a downpayment of one level's experience and then pays the experience for another level in ECL?

Really, I don't think that's a good idea. If players want to play characters who really have 3rd level abilities but only have 2nd level experience points, you should probably just say "no" or let them have 3rd level experience points as well. The way the game mechanics work, it would either remain unused or would rapidly make characters unplayably weak and thus add to the problem of "I wish my character could do X but he can't" rather than solving it. Say, you've got a fighter who took this option at 4th level because he wanted whirlwind attack "NOW!" As an ECL +1 character, he won't get another feat until 7th level (when he hits fighter 6). If he uses your "as many times as you like" model to get great cleave when he hits 6th level (fighter 5 since he's now ECL +1) that makes him ECL +2. So, now, he won't get another natural feat until all the other characters are 8th level. The more the character uses this, the weaker he will get and the longer it will be until the character advances again. . . .

I actually think that altenate point buys, for ECL is a good idea at character creation but I don't think it's a good idea to allow characters to hock their next level for a quick and inefficient power fix.

The intention of this was suplimental to the effects of race, class and level. It can also be done any time the player levels once per.

I was throwing it out for those players who just HAVE to get something now rather than 3 levels or so latter.