| Kazaan |
I'm hammering out a system to "purchase" templates using the point-buy system. I have an idea for the costs, but want a second opinion on how balanced it would be. Basically, you take the CR increase of the template, multiply it by X where X is the balancing factor, then purchasing it is the equivalent of boosting a stat from 10 to (CR * X). For example, if someone wanted a CR+1 template that they qualify for (things like type and subtype restrictions, HD restrictions, etc. would still apply) and we set X at 4, then this is the equivalent of boosting a stat from 10 to 14 which would cost 5 points. Co a CR+1 template costs you 5 points when X = 4. Is 4 a good value for X or would 3 be a better option?
Side rules of the system would involve templates that change when the creature surpasses a certain number of HD. For example, the Resolute template is CR+0 when you have less than 5 HD, but goes to CR+1 when you hit 5 HD. I'm thinking that, for a situation like this, you suffer a negative level when you hit 5 HD. Thematically, it would represent a sort of existential crisis where you have to really look at your values, physicality, whatever and decide if you really live up to what that template demands of you (via Atonement or similar effect).
Also, there might need to be a way to calculate equivalent point-buy that falls outside the normal range. 18 is normally the highest you can boost a stat to at a cost of 17 points. But, if going with X = 4, a CR+5 template would be equivalent to boosting a stat to 20. The rough pattern seems be that the increase of points is i and every even tier starting at +4, i = i + 1. So, with i starting at 1, going from 10 to 11 is 0 + 1; it costs 1 point. 11 to 12, i stays at 1 point so 1 + 1 = 2; it costs 2 points to go from 10 to 12. But 13 to 14, i changes to 2 so it costs 5 points rather than 4. i goes up again to +3 when going from 15 to 16. By this pattern, going from 18 to 19 would cost 21 and 19 to 20 would cost 26.
The last thing that concerns me are outlier templates like Advance. It gives significant benefit for only CR+1. Should it have a special rule like "counts as CR+2" or should it piggyback on the rule for HD-improved templates and when they reach a certain level, they suffer a negative until they've come to terms with themselves?
| Kazaan |
Ok, did a little number crunching and figured out a good system for dealing with purchasing the Advanced template as well as dealing with an unanticipated issue with the Young template. I have 2 possibilities:
1) Cost factor X is 4. Advanced is treated as a CR+3 template for the purpose of this system. So buying the Advance template would cost you 37 points for +4 to each stat and +2 natural armor.
2) Cost factor is 3. Advanced is treated as a CR+3 template and costs 21 points. When you reach CL or HD 5, you take 1 negative level.
In both cases, the Advanced template represents being a sort of Prodigy. The first option makes it very appealing to dump 4-5 stats to 7 and pump the remaining stats up so that the +4 across the board a) counteracts the dumps and b) has better net value on boosted stats. Sample calculations:
15 Point Buy:
Dump 5 stats to 7 and last stat to 8, get 22 spare points. Buy Advance template and stats go to 11 x5 and 12 with +2 nat armor. Equitable to 7 point buy with +2 nat armor for the 8 point difference.
20 Point Buy:
Dump 4 stats to 7 and 1 stat to 9, leaving last at 10, get 17 spare points. Buy Advance template and stats go to 11 x4, 13, and 14. Equitable to 12 point buy with +2 nat armor for the 8 point difference.
20 Point Buy:
Dump 4 stats to 7, 1 stat to 8, and lift last stat to 11, get 17 spare points. Advance boosts stats to 11 x4, 12, and 15, equitable to 14 point buy with +2 nat armor for the 6 point difference.
20 Point Buy:
Dump 5 stats to 7 and lift last stat to 13, get 17 spare points. Advance boosts stats to 11 x5 and 17, equitable to 18 point buy with +2 nat armor for the 2 point difference.
25 Point Buy:
Dump 3 stats to 7 and leave remaining at 10, giving 12 spare points. Advance boosts to 11 x3 and 14 x3, equitable to 18 point buy with +2 nat armor for 7 point difference.
25 Point Buy:
Dump 4 stats to 7, lift 1 to 11, and 1 to 13, giving 12 spare points. Advance boosts to 11 x4, 15, and 17, equitable to 24 point buy with +2 nat armor for 1 point difference.
Method 2 has similar calculations, though you end up having to dump far less to afford it so it becomes much more powerful; hence the negative level at HD5. Is it enough to compensate, or is Method 1 just inherently better for a template with so much benefit with no inherent downside?
Regarding the Young template, it has a CR -1 so it will actually give you points to take it. It gives significant penalty, but the thing is, you'll eventually "grow out" of it, leaving you with a +4 point hero. It also has interesting interplay with how class starting ages would have to be determined and whether you can actually have a Young hero in a Trained class like Cleric or Monk. So I worked out the following:
Young Template:
When taking the Young template, you will get 6 or 4 spare buy points (depending on whether X ends up being 4 or 3 respectively). Your starting age will be base age for your race minus the dice value for your race's "intuitive" starting age. For example, a Human starts at 15 years + 1d4 for intuitive classes (16-19yo). A Young human would start at 15 - 1d4 (between 11 and 14). When your character has aged to their base age +1 (16 in the case of a Human), he loses the Young template. If you are starting in a class that would normally begin in the Self-Taught (Fighters, Bards, etc) or Studied (Cleric, Monk, etc) age category you must also buy the Advanced template (to represent being a Prodigy who can fully graduate to level 1 despite a significant age gap). In addition, for a class that starts in the Studied age category, the mental stat most associated with the class (ie. Int for Wizard or Magus; Wis for Monk, Cleric, or Druid), cannot end up lower than 14 (after templates, racial bonus/penalty, and other stat bonuses are applied).
So, feedback? Opinions? Comments? Questions?