Your experience with WotC's non core classes

[Remathilis]

I got to watch a warlock in action, a bit of a one-trick pony if they don't pick their powers well. Mostly its EB every round...

I saw a hexblade for less than 5 minutes... he didn't do anything a fighter couldn't, at first level...

Plenty of mystics though... we allowed them as the divine answer to sorcerers.

Lastly, if I ever get motivated I'm re-writing marshal, healer, warmage and favored soul as prestige classes. I could probably do that also with spirit shaman and hexblade if I wanted to...

 

[Thanee]

The Favored Soul plays pretty much as expected. A powerful (about the same level as the cleric), combat-focused character, much like a cleric with a knack for melee.

In my own PbP game there is a Swashbuckler, but they just hit 3rd level, so there isn't much to say yet, looks quite nice and pretty fair, tho.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nifft]

I've been throwing NPC Psions & PsiWars at my party since 3.0 PsiHB, and now I'm really enjoying throwing XPH Psions & PsiWars at them.

Soon, they'll face a Warlock or two, too.

-- N

 

[Quez The Lame]

We have currently a 5th level swashbuckler in our party, who is just disappointing. The class lacks any style and important abilities such as good reflex saves or evasion. Multiclassed rogues (rogue/ranger or rogue/fighter) seem to fit much better for the role (as far as we experienced).

 

[pogre]

I don't use WotC's non-core D&D classes. I don't even use the prestige classes in the DMG. What's the point? I believe any character concept can be realized by a player using the PHB.

Then why play D&D? Sounds to me you're better off with Warcraft or EQ. I mean come on, there's more to paladins that just picking that feat or this feat and having skills hither and thither. Some times you need an archmage or loremaster.

What? How does this make sense?

You're saying why play D&D if you just use the core rule books?

Surely I am misunderstanding. If not, I completely disagree.

On topic: I have had only one player want to play a non-core class, a swashbuckler. No problems so far.

 

[Haltherrion]

My players and I make heavy use of them and the prestige classes. We had a spellsword for most of a campaign (after qualifying). Current have a platinum knight and a Radiant follower of Pelor (modified for the setting).

I once saw someone post a reasonable analysis of these non-core classes and prestige classes that rated them as low, medium and high in terms of comparable power to base classes. Sure, many classes are low-power but offer some color or special ability (like casting in armor) not easily achieved otherwise. Others are a bit overpowered but it is up to the ref to intervene when necessary.

I think they are a great addition to the game. Classes and feats are the main reason I buy the supplements.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

There's a swashbuckler in a game I play in. He's doing ok, as far as I can tell (we're 6th). He's the party front-man.

AR

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Well, I've seen a few non-core book core classes in play recently, so here goes:

The racial paragons are seducing due to the +2 to an ability score at 3rd level, but unless you already have a class & then take 1 of these, they don't really add much to a character.

The artificer is nifty, but IMHO isn't much help when the character hasn't had time to prepare. This isn't a good character to use if there's a good limit on time, resources, XP, or any combination thereof. With the current Eberron game, there's been virtually no down time for the group between adventures, so our party's artificer has been really hurting.

The generic classes are fine on their own. I've used them for a 3.5 D&D conversion of Lankhmar, & they fit in well. I absolutely would not recommend using them with any other core classes; they'll get the short end of the stick in the long run.

As for many of the other non-core-book core classes, many of them seem to have a single issue with their design: they're a nifty, novel idea for that 5th &/or 6th character, but not too hot when used in place of 1 of the core 4 PCs of a successful party.

 

[Staffan]

In my current Eberron campaign (3rd level), I have a Soulknife and an Artificer in the party. The soulknife is doing pretty well so far - he's doing fierce damage with Psionic Weapon and his Mind Strike. The artificer seems to be doing less well (mainly because of sucky attack bonus, which means that even if he does use his nifty Weapon Augmentation to get the right Bane for the situation, he can't hit anything), but they have been a little limited in cash so far. We'll see how well he does after a month of downtime.

The group also includes an Unfettered (slightly modified from Arcana Unearthed), who's not doing so well either. Part is because the player is just plain unlucky - it's become a running joke that the first thing that happens in a fight is that his character goes down (not just in this campaign either). Part is because we just ran Shadows of the Last War, and

Spoiler

the last section contains lots of opponents who either have DR, or are immune to crits, or both, which means that his d6+little damage plus sneak attack doesn't work too well.

 

[MerricB]

I enjoyed playing the swashbuckler. It's there to provide something for those fighter-types who think (diplomatic) skills are also important.

Cheers!