(This is cloned/updated from a post on GitP, which seems to mostly been devolved into a discussion/argument on metamagic reducers. I thought I should get a different set of opinions on the general assemblage.)
I'm looking at putting together a full-range (3-20+) campaign for my players, so they get the full extent of standard D&D, and so they can successfully chalk up a 'we hit lvl 20' game to their gaming history. This is an arranged trade-off in prep for a game I want to run after, which will be 3.5-based, but heavily modified to incorporate elements of 4e into the base concept and rebuild the structure of the game (and the multiclassing system) to be more functional. (Most of my players have played in a very heavily modified game which is leaving a bad taste mechanics-wise, so I can understand their annoyance at any sort of modded games right now. This game should cleanse their palate, so to speak.)
It's going to be Eberron setting, with the players as part of a larger airship crew operating as free agents (the captain-owner of the ship will be an NPC, unless the players wind up changing that..) but the game will generally be sandbox, with some plotlines and recurring arcs thrown in over the course of the campaign. Each character will be given a special magic item, an at-will sending stone with a 1/day
word of recall. These stones are paired with a matching one located in a communications room back on the ship; the
word of recall also brings them back here. This lets me pull characters out when their player is unable to make it the next week, a recurring problem in our games as a whole.
I want to keep it 99% by-the-book, as I've said, but I also want to make sure I cut out the major game-breakers, and tweak a few things (mainly some overpriced LA/ECL ratings) to keep more flavorful options open, without going all-out. (Eberron is a little more favorable towards monster PCs flavor-wise, but the regular LA/ECLs are less than friendly. Tweaking them down and allowing LA reduction should help.
So I want to get some feedback on my options from you guys, from a char-op standpoint (especially the LA/ECL tweaks), but also to let me know any major problems (over-powered or severely under-powered) that I've missed.
Just as a general provision, when I refer to content, I'm referring almost exclusively to generic core (no FR/etc) or Eberron-specific material. Anything else is on a case-by-case, and I'm going to be watching for the major stuff which jump tiers and break games. Hopefully the provisions set below will keep from getting into the *broken* stuff, without having to chop it specifically.
- All base classes are allowed.
- Alternate class features, racial substitutions, and other such variants must be DM approved, but are often permitted.
- The Complete Divine Destruction of Undead (pg. 87) is the standard for all turning effects. Ask the DM about specific interactions.
- A few classes are discouraged but not forbidden, with suggested alternatives:
- Fighter: Warblade.
- Monk: Unarmed Swordsage variant, focusing on Setting Sun.
- Ninja: Swordsage, focusing on Shadow Hand.
- Paladin: Crusader.
- Talk to the DM when creating a character. He knows just about every major mechanical option and can make suggestions to fit what you want to do.
- All base races allowed from core and generic material, plus Eberron-specific races.
- No subraces by default. (Drow are considered a distinct race, not a subrace. All other elves are just the PHB Elf.) Specific exceptions on DM's consent, with better reasoning than 'just because', and may involve plot complications.
- Prestige classes are by DM's approval. (Mostly a formality, but I reserve the right to disallow any material I feel is inappropriate.)
- Spells, Feats, and Items from WotC-published books are allowed, but specific items or spells may be harder to locate.
- Dragon magazine and online supplementary content is allowed only with DM approval.
- No flaws.
- Level Adjustment buy-off is allowed and encouraged.
- Bloodlines are allowed (but can't be bought off, Bloodline Levels are not the same as Level Adjustment).
- Latest errata is used in all cases, including unpublished edits from the original author (including the Mouseferatu Shadowcaster and Complete Psionic errata).
- Later sources of items, feats, and spells are preferred, but earlier versions can be requested.
- Characters start at 3rd level, with wealth appropriate to their level.
- If a character dies, or you want to retire an existing character (or just have them step back out of the plot for a while), any new character is created at the party's average level, rounded down, including the level of the character who just left.
- Metamagic is limited to levels you are capable of casting. Spell-level reduction items/feats/etc are limited to levels you would be able to cast otherwise. You cannot exceed your highest spell level with any one spell, before applying reduction.
- XP gain will be faster than usual, most likely doubled until past 10th level.
Minor Tweaks(Any specific elements mentioned here are changed as described. Anything unmentioned is by the book/errata.)
- Player's Handbook
- Half-Elf: Bonus feat (as human)
- Half-Orc: +2 Str, -2 Int. +2 racial bonus to Intimidate.
- Monster Manual
- Aasimar: Humanoid (human, planetouched). +2 Wis, +2 Cha, -2 Con. Favored Class: Favored Soul. LA +0.
- Bugbear: No racial hit dice. LA +1.
- Centaur: 2 racial hit dice. LA +2 (ECL 4).
- Gnoll: No racial hit dice. LA +1.
- Hobgoblin: +2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Wis. LA +0.
- Lizardfolk: No racial hit dice. LA +1.
- Ogre: 2 racial hit dice. LA +2 (ECL 4).
- Orc: +4 Str, -2 Int, -2 Cha. +4 racial bonus to Intimidate.
- Satyr: No racial hit dice. Pipes supernatural ability is removed. LA +2.
- Tiefling: Humanoid (human, planetouched). Favored class: Warlock. LA +0.
- Expanded Psionics Handbook
- Player's Handbook II
- Arcane Thesis: This reduction effect cannot reduce any individual metamagic adjustment below +0. (If any metamagics are overcosted, I might tweak them down, but that is not the job of this feat to repair.)
Anything else you guys think I've missed?
