Me and my brothers have created a plethora of our own Custom Characters, around... 24.
Some of the character powers seems like they need to be toned down but its their character so it should be a character they enjoy.
I've applied to the rule of 24
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2qvsm?Creating-balanced-characters-The-rule-of- 24
I've applied to the rule of 22
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2rbj4?Balancing-Character-Powers-The-Rule-of-22
Looking at both of these threads is very helpful, but a particular power often occurs.
The ability to 'automatically succeed'
It usually applies to spells or item recharge in some cases, and I have no problem with that, but some of the custom characters have the ability to automatically succeed at checks to defeat barriers with lock, or some with the ability to automatically aquire items, weapons, or armor(comes in a role).
I'm beginning to wonder if these specific powers are a little too unhealthy for the game. Kinda feels unimpressive. What do you think? Should we make it cost something? or is it something that shouldn't really exist as a power?
I guess there is no way to judge this without seeing the complete characters.
In general, automatic success should not be given out lightly, and not at all if it has a wide range of applications, and even then have a cost associated.
So for acquiring cards, you shouldn't use it. A more balanced approach is to just give a bonus of +2 (+4) to checks to acquire certain cards, which will get you far enough most of the time.
As for defeating banes with certain traits, I guess it is ok if you have to pay a cost and the trait is not so common. Bury a card to automatically defeat a non-villain (!) barrier with the lock trait seems justifiable. Automatic success for villains and maybe henchman too should not be possible. But then again, giving a bonus of +2(+4) or additional dice instead would be probably more fun.
As for recharging spells and items, this is mostly the defining power of the sorcerer class. Note however, that in order to balance this power, sorcerers tend to have a smaller number of spells in their decks in the first place.
The best thing to do is to compare your characters to all the available ones and see if someone has a similiar power. Balancing characters is easiest if you start with powers from already existing characters and change them without making them more powerful / compiling different ones.
There are certain themes and mechanics hidden in the characters that translate mechanics to concepts, and if you read through the cards carefully, you get a good understanding for them.
Lastly, if you enjoy powering through the game, you don't need to care so much for the power levels - its your home game after all, and everything which is fun for you is justified. As long as the characters are roughly comparable in usefulness and fun, just play them.
I guess there is no way to judge this without seeing the complete characters.
In general, automatic success should not be given out lightly, and not at all if it has a wide range of applications, and even then have a cost associated.
So for acquiring cards, you shouldn't use it. A more balanced approach is to just give a bonus of +2 (+4) to checks to acquire certain cards, which will get you far enough most of the time.
As for defeating banes with certain traits, I guess it is ok if you have to pay a cost and the trait is not so common. Bury a card to automatically defeat a non-villain (!) barrier with the lock trait seems justifiable. Automatic success for villains and maybe henchman too should not be possible. But then again, giving a bonus of +2(+4) or additional dice instead would be probably more fun.
As for recharging spells and items, this is mostly the defining power of the sorcerer class. Note however, that in order to balance this power, sorcerers tend to have a smaller number of spells in their decks in the first place.
The best thing to do is to compare your characters to all the available ones and see if someone has a similiar power. Balancing characters is easiest if you start with powers from already existing characters and change them without making them more powerful / compiling different ones.
There are certain themes and mechanics hidden in the characters that translate mechanics to concepts, and if you read through the cards carefully, you get a good understanding for them.
Lastly, if you enjoy powering through the game, you don't need to care so much for the power levels - its your home game after all, and everything which is fun for you is justified. As long as the characters are roughly comparable in usefulness and fun, just play them.
Fair enough. Thank you! I'm definitely pulling out all my options when comparing characters to what we are creating, hopefully I can change our characters just enough so we might actually fear what is coming, instead of just going and knowing we can take whatever.
I also plan on posting my personal custom characters soon. I have one up already.
Thanks again for the advice!
Look at Simoun. The ability to add another skill (in her case, Perception) to defeat certain types of barriers makes it almost an auto-defeat for her, but still providing a possibility of failure for difficult checks.
I play Simoun in one MM game, and watch another player play her in a second MM game. In both cases, she really has the flavor of "the barrier-beater." We often scout up a barrier and call in for Simoun's support to fly over and handle it. It very much makes her play like a specialist, and that's probably what you're going for.
So think about powers that add another skill situationally (adding Fortitude to checks to acquire weapons with the Melee trait, or adding Arcane to acquire allies with the Human trait) rather than auto-success to create the "great at this thing" feel.
But the more narrow the ability (and the less likely the ability is to just plain win against villains and henchmen), the more acceptable to be automatic. A character that automatically succeeds at checks to acquire items with the Object trait, for example, seems reasonable, or to automatically acquire Shields.
Ok, I took the assessment here and moved to one of the characters in question, and I do like the concept behind it more.
Thank you =)
So I could use some more advice.
Say a power is like this
Recharge a spell to add 1d6 []2d6 []3d6 to combat.
Or
Reveal an armor to add 1d4 []2d4 []3d4 to combat.
Should it be more like this?
Recharge a spell to add 1d6 []+1 []+2
Reveal an armor to add 1d4 []+1 []+2
A power like recharge a spell to add 1d6 []2d6 []3d6 to combat is way too powerful in my opinion. It's +10 combat with pretty much no cost. With such a character, in a good group, I would take a few weapon and a bunch of non attack spells (like Cure or Safe Bubble) and would pretty much surf through any scenario.
On the spell powers, I would look at Seltyiel as an example. In his case, the spell used needs to have the Attack trait. I would also adjust the wording to specify "your" combat check, perhaps with a power feat to allow it to enhance the combat check of "any character at your location." There are more caveats to Seltyiel's power, in this case, but they might not apply to your character. This provides a limitation and forces the player to make trade offs, whereas the current wording allows you to have a character have much more (too much?) flexibility by having a lot of non-Attack spells that can be used to enhance combat checks.
In the case of the armor, I would require the armor to be recharged. This forces the player to evaluate the trade off of using the armor for its intended purpose (i.e., protection) or temporarily losing it in order to enhance an attack.
Overall, the trick is to ensure that powers have appropriate limitations and force players to make risk/gain assessments.
A power like recharge a spell to add 1d6 []2d6 []3d6 to combat is way too powerful in my opinion. It's +10 combat with pretty much no cost. With such a character, in a good group, I would take a few weapon and a bunch of non attack spells (like Cure or Safe Bubble) and would pretty much surf through any scenario.
That is exactly how it goes, he is a Rogue/Mage using a d12 in dexterity combat +2, he recharges a spell to add up to 3d6's for his combat, he just destroys everything, and he can cast speed on top of that... if maybe his power was to bury or banish the spell I would be more forgiving of it.
Thank you for the advice.
On the spell powers, I would look at Seltyiel as an example. In his case, the spell used needs to have the Attack trait. I would also adjust the wording to specify "your" combat check, perhaps with a power feat to allow it to enhance the combat check of "any character at your location." There are more caveats to Seltyiel's power, in this case, but they might not apply to your character. This provides a limitation and forces the player to make trade offs, whereas the current wording allows you to have a character have much more (too much?) flexibility by having a lot of non-Attack spells that can be used to enhance combat checks.
In the case of the armor, I would require the armor to be recharged. This forces the player to evaluate the trade off of using the armor for its intended purpose (i.e., protection) or temporarily losing it in order to enhance an attack.
Overall, the trick is to ensure that powers have appropriate limitations and force players to make risk/gain assessments.
I agree and some powers don't need risks attached, depending on what you get in return.
Its specifically for his own combat checks, but he still gets a d12+2 or more in ranged combat, and 3d6's for just a recharge...
Where I have a character that gets 3d12's for the bury and discard of two weapons with 2-handed trait, but no cards can be played for that combat check.
I appreciate your advice, I'll definitely be looking at these powers specifically when we finish the play through.
Is there a good way to distribute certain skills to certain characters?
Like if you're a Barbarian, you can pick Melee, or Constitution,
Or if you're a Rogue Class you can have Disable, or Acrobatics.
If not, it wouldn't be a big deal I'm just curious.