Rajaat's page

Ok, I think in terms of Munchkinism you don't have to go very far.

SPELLCASTER:

Just make a
- Class: wizard (or a Priest)
- Race: Spellweaver
- Prestige Class: Dry Lich (from Sandstorm).
- Template: Shadow Creature (LA +2, gives permanent concealment 50%, bonus to saving throws, regeneration) (from a Dragon Magazine)

You get fast healing immunity from most conditions (and criticals and sneaks), become immortal, and cannot be destroyed unless your phylactery is also. The dry lich is nasty enough to also have some other nasty special abilities.
The spellweaver (if i remember correctly, allows you to cast multiple spells per round) is from the MM 3 (or 2 or 4, see how precise i am??)

FIGHTER/COMBATANT:

- Template: some half dragon plus the feat from "Races of the Dragon" that allows you to breath once every 1d4 rounds (can't remember the name).
- Race: Troll On top of this give him a ring of Energy Immunity (immunity to fire, acid, electricity, sonic, and cold)(costs only one million gp, from Epic Handbook).
- Template: Deathknight

About abilities and feats for your warrior: Monkey grip, weapon Specializations (all 4 feats of weap focus/spec) on Mercurial Greatsword (nothing beats that 3d6 damage) [this is an exotic weapon from a WotC Book of equipment whose name i cannot remember now) and two weapon fighting. If you go to Epic make sure to get the appropriate Overwheliming/Devastating Critical feats, two weapon rend and perfect two weapon fighting.

If on top of that you get some more hands, well.....

NJOY!!

Yes, don't spoil the player's fun.

I remember once in the 2e I made a knight, and he rolled 3 successive "1s"!!! It was funny because I will ALWAYS remember that incident! My character dropped his sword, and falled on some mud and eventually started going superman on the mud on the city street (I was also trying to chase the bad guys)...everybody was laughing and i really enjoyed that!

So a couple of unlucky rolls from your dragons will certainly enter your gaming history

will forget how mediocre Enterprise was and end up longing for a new one.

Anathema! That was the best series of them all!

Anyway, just consider this. Star Wars d20 is getting a new edition already. And it's going to be heavy on miniatures use. Expect in the next few years a miniature heavy 4th edition. Someone posted it as a joke in this thread, but now that I saw the new Star Wars - The Saga edition (or something like that) scheduled for 2007, my fears have come true.

By the way, I loathe RPG with miniatures, so I'll guess I'll have to go to WoD...

Here are some tips...

I used to be one of these players!

You know what changed me? My DM. He was always telling me,

"So what is your character's motivation in life, what is his ultimate dream, why does he do what he does?"

Then, we would play sessions where my character had to roleplay to get anything done. So, make your new players have their characters alone, trying to find their way to the rest of the group. Don't let him/her say "i take the ferry". No! Tell him "how do you look for it?". And after your player reaches the ferry, make him look for the ferryman, search, ask people about his whereabouts, make him complain that it's too foggy or he is too drunk. In other words, if you see bad roleplaying immerse them into the world.

This will probably mean a lot of work on all your parts, but i am glad i had a patient DM and patient players. Bacause eventually their patience changed my style of play.

Make them feel they are in a world full of possibilities, don't just give them adventures. Make them look for the adventure. Maybe it's best if you regularly separate the party in small "scenes". Especially don't allow them to metagame and talk to each other about what they do. If they do that, have a villain hear it and use it against them. Don't overdo it though ;)

Also, use training. Your players level up, don't just allow them to use Feat slots and skill points, tell them they have to train to improve themselves, especially for feats. I would also recommend to make them train for skills, but also consider that using skills on dramatic situations is also part of that "training".

Make them find the trainer, let them roleplay all of this. Don't let the experienced players help them in this, and tell them "roleplay this", don't let them just say "my Character trains for this".

Last recommendation, put them in difficult roleplaying situations often, where they have to talk to get out of it, have them captured interrogated, and let them use their initiative to solve problems.

Erm, explain the concept like this, maybe he likes it, or understands it better:

Damage: 1-8
Critical Multiplier x3
DR: 3/-

Let's assume that there are no other modifiers.

If dmg rolled is 4 on a critical hit, total damage is 3x4=12 hp

Now, if you apply DR as your DM says, the damage inflicted is (4-3)x3=3 hp for a total reduction of damage of 9!

If you apply it after it's 12-3=9 hp, for a DR of, well 3.

Probably you will find the answers you seek in the description of "critical multiplier" that states that damage inflicted is multiplied BEFORE applying any modifier. And DR, my friend IS a modifier! And only after you apply all modifiers (bonuses from magic weapons, strength, DR, etc, etc etc...)

Good luck with your DM. He just had a critical failure with his reasoning about this issue, that's all!

Under my system to be a successful monster-rider, you would need to possess: Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple; max ranks in Handle Animal and Ride. Fairly cow-poke-ish, I think.

I guess the monster riders wants to ride just about anything from size Large and larger. I agree with the climb check needed to get on a tall animal/monster and a grapple check to maintain your hold on the back. Attacking then would be as simple as getting a penalty on your grapple and attack roll using a small weapon as described in the PHB. My opinion on the Riding skill is that it's redundant here. As a DM I would feel more appropriate the grapple check instead of the riding check in this case, since the Character is not trying to control but only hold the monster/animal.

You could, as a DM design feats that allow you to attack with larger weapons during a grapple, and with less penalties.

Really, your player should consider the Grappler PrC in the complete warrior (can't remember the name) that can kill with grapples. It's very Conan-ish.

No, idiotic. Only the fact that the wizard was more interested in retrieving the spellbook than killing the two surviving PC's after they were disabled prevented a TPK. Refusal to compromise when negotiating at a disadvantage is dumb; putting others needlessly at risk is an evil act, even when you are fighting evil. The player didn't ask "why should I trust you" or attempt to ensure that the terms the wizard gave would be followed; instead, he demanded that he get his way completely, regardless of the situation.

I think it just a classic act of poor roleplaying and metagame thinking.

Robert Brambley wrote:

Here is a recent situation...

I've played with such people before. Two possible penalties occur to me immediately:

[ul]

make him evil, if he's not already (the second two deaths were caused by gross indifference on his part)

Drop the character's Int to a 5 or 6 to more accurately reflect his limited mental faculties (as evidenced by his repeated inability to predict the next two deaths)

Hmm, I think he was well aware of the consequences of his actions, so it's not really an intelligence fault, but rather a choice. However, as a DM I would have the character roll a wisdom check with a DC that increases with each PC death in order to follow through his intended action.

I mean, we as humans might know what is the right thing, but we don't follow through because of our weak motivation.

It's not in the PHB2, but I have just this to say WARMAGE...

Fizz

Haha, look at the Dry Lich (Sandstorm) makes all prestige classes for wizards and priests absolutely obsolete!

Here is a recent situation:...

Ermmm...Here what you should do instead:

Players roll a Sense Motive check against the Diplomacy check of the goblin Wizard. If they succeed they find the true intention of the Wizard (let the players live) and if they fail they don't know, and the DM should give the player a random answer (that's because if you, as DM say to one player "You don't know" and to the other "he is telling the truth" then ALL players will know the NPC is telling the truth).

On the other hand, don't forget that PCs in their homeworld have been conditioned to believe that all goblins are evil...and so they were led to believe that it was either "Lose the spellbook & die" or "Die but maybe you don't lose the spellbook", in which case they all chose answer two...the most convenient.

However, there was a doubt...to survive by giving in. Therefore you, as DM, should enforce your character to make a willpower check (or Wisdom check) DCxx. Where xx depends on how difficult is the task (sacrificing your life for a book should have a really high DC, depending on the usefulness of the spellbook to himself).

Otherwise in the real world, everytime you want to do something you just do it. Think about diets, you wanna lose weight, but if your method and motivation is lacking, you get no result. So the PCs, if they want to sacrifice their lives, or make something that requires dedication, they should really make a Wisdom check to see if they follow through.

And if they fail, just tell the PC, "your character knows that sacrificing his life is the LOGICAL thing to do, but his fear of dying is too high". The PCs can then either (1) win time (if they can keep their cool), using a Bluff, a Diplomacy or Intimidate check (they should be able to make 1-3 checks in total, depending on the patience of the NPC), (2) try to escape, (3) Give in.

Also, seeing other PC dying in front of you might make things harder for you (penalties on bluff, diplomacy, sense motive and intimidate are in order).

Just my 2 cents

Carrying weapons around in town. Do you allow it? What about casting?

Generally the problem lies in larger cities and metropolis. In small rural regions this shouldn't be a problem unless the particular nation has strong laws against it. Then again they might not have enough soldiers to enforce this law in sparsely inhabited regions.

In large cities, on the other hand, the PCs have to go through the city gates and are required a special permit (that costs some money) to register a weapon so that they can carry it within the city. The amount should reflect the strictness of the laws concerning weapons within the city, and the potency of the weapon (if it's magical, carries special abilities, etc).

If you really want you could have guards at the gate have a ring of detect magic, or even a low level wizard or sorcerer to check for magic that enters the city.

Then again, weapons are restricted only if they are found ;)

As for magic...it's obviously much more difficult to control. In that case have someone inform the PCs about magic use within the city and its restrictions.

Generally the only restrictions should be on destructive magic, such as fireballs and such...casting those (and being discovered for doing so) might result in a fine, incarceration, or even exile depending on damages done to the city. Other types of magic are difficult to be detected (really, who is going to notice if you cast unseen servant in your room?

Alternatively, if magic is really of everyday use (like in Eberron) and you visit a magic rich city, you might consider some bracelet that your magic user have to wear that register magical activity from the user and when the character is to leave he has to pay a "licence" depending on his/hers magic use within the city. Obviously teleporting characters might have a way to avoid this...unless the city is protected from teleportation, or better might require a special device to teleport in.

I hope I gave you some ideas...but really...let the PC try to overcome these "obstacles" and allow them to do so if their methods are really ingenious...or make them pay a hefty fine for trying to avoid the licence.

Or even use it to your advantage...a character is being fined a high amount of money...and someone pays this for him, in exchange of a service...really...the more color you add to your campaign the more you add to endless possibilities of fun and interesting events...

Considering that building or buying a golem might require you to be of a certain level, i am sure very few people would object with you going around with one. And even if they were to consider objecting your character, I am sure they would consider a lot before objecting to you AND your golem.

Think about it, it's a sunny day, and you and your "12 foot friend" go around in a city. Suddenly someone shouts across the street:

"Hey you can't have red painted golems in this city! You are under arrest!"

I am sure this NPC will have his "ideas" very.. shortlived...someone making him "forget" the incident in some...very very persuasive way..or making sure everybody "forgets" about him. You think the general population will protest? Really? Who? Someone with a deathwish?

Honestly I can't imagine the local militia saying a word against my Iron Golem, more likely they will be like:

"I am so sorry your majesty, we built the gates too short for your, ahem, manservant...please please accept our sincerest apologies, we will call the local engineer to fix this problem immediately".

Ok, PCs shouldn't be allowed to do everything, but neither have all the population lack the proper respect for your high level character and his high level equipment. Remember, the law is enforced upon someone who cannot resist...but going against a golem sounds really "unhealthy" for any low level character.

And even a LG character might get annoyed to leave out of the city his body guard worth zillions just because the guard told him "Sorry sir, you saved our lifes and city countless times,and you could probably destroy it just by sneezing, but a Law is a Law is a Law: no Golems in the city!".

Now, what about the Golem? You got so much dough you can afford one and you never thought about...illusions? or paint it blue?

As for the thread question...Golems are great! I had a Flesh Golem, it was really cool (my DM really gave it "life" and credibility, we had a tough time knowing how to command it) and extremely useful, although difficult to repair unless you have the proper spells.

Oh, and I would also like to vote that we have NO IDEA when or where 4th edition will strike or what will be in it, so lets all relax and play some D&D and have fun.

Yes, we have NO IDEA (except me of course, I am an age old wizard), but that doesn't mean we can't have fun making predictions :)

Anyway...I don't think all suggestions and discussions about the 4th edition are bad, WotC could take some of the suggestions and even create a 3.75 version first ;)

Actually, if you think about it, we already are at 3.75...the monsters format has changed, the PrC format has changed, the NPCs format has changed, new subsystem have been introduced...the thing is...by 2010 a 4th Edition will probably introduced due to marketing purposes...marketing rules, after all, indicate to change things every once in a while...

But in the meantime...enjoy what you've got..and when 4th edition comes if you don't want to buy it, well...don't! At least you will have plenty of material to go on for ages...

Well, if I could throw in more predictions, I would add that WotC has shown an interest to make their system compatible to more time ages and probably there will be even better compatibility between them.

In particular, they could follow a format similar to GURPS RPG in term of manuals, with a manual for each technological era, plus manuals with superpowers, magic, psionics, fantasy, oriental fantasy, etc...just like it's now...but even better streamlined and without need of modern-fantasy conversion and compaign a-specific but with campaign suggestions (like d20 future).

They could then go with splat books expanding on equipment, skills, feats, etc to for each era or type of game...a "core" campaign for some specific eras (say FR or whatever for fantasy, Dark Matter* for modern, and who knows...star wars for future, hehe).

From a rule point of view they will hopefully streamline rules (combat especially, BAB always seemed such a bad idea) better rules for chocking (how is it done anyway?) and create more elastic classes (where you are more free to choose what kind of abilities you gain, but also within predetermined parameters).

Your (Fantasy) classes will definitely be:
Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, Priest. I hope for a complete rework of the Paladin and the Ranger (sorry but I never liked them the way they are). Hopefully bards will be...not included...

Other Loved Classes: Ninja, Samurai, Monk (in a system less dependant on magic items he should be more balanced), Warlock, Psionic. A druid could be reworked a little...it's a cool concept but in my games it never delivers in or out of combat.

Hopefully the whole Fantasy system will be much less dependant on magical items (similarly to Iron Heroes, as someone suggested here) and magic will hopefully have more roleplaying consequences and be more strict...for both mages AND priests.

I really want Priests to not have access to all spells but to have to obtain access to them by performing some action in accordance with the deity's potfolio and depending with the spell level.

Also I hope they include better rules for multi-classing (a wizard would never become a rogue they are more than classes, they are mind frames and are hardly changed..so they should be an exception...but possible and with limitations. And there should be less reasons to do it (with the inclusion of all sorts of mixed classes or rules to create them) and definitely rules for EPIC CAMPAIGNS for every Era (I am still waiting for the Star Wars Epic, grrr).

About when it will be out...well, judging from the decrease in output manuals....I should say they will create a few new stuff, adventures..possibly a magic items manual.. late 2009-early 2010 (possibly 2010, the new era of RPGs with a round year).

I was fascinated by the Article in Dragon 304 about Prestige Races where you basically take spend XP to get some special abilities.

Wouldn't have been nice to create a system where a character with the appropriate ranks in Craft (Alchemy) and a special Craft Item (or just Soul Syphoning) feat that would allow him/her to create extracts from monsters thus giving himself some permanent bonus, spell like ability, etc that the monster has? (but in a fairly less potent form).

And obviously all remembering the "non stacking rule" about bonuses. This would oviously have as a consequence pc becoming specific monster hunters just to be able to gain access to new abilities and also seeking always more and more powerful monsters to gain greater abilities. It would be interesting to put a time constraint of how long can you wait until the monster dies until you can steal a fragment of his soul-impregnated blood (that would be freshly killed I guess).

Type of gains should be bonuses to AC, saves, energy resistance, spell-like abilities, spell resistance, etc...

Not to mention it would also make for a nice Prestige Class (or class) concept....(reminds me a bit the Illithid Savant from Savage Species)...

So guys what do you think? Sort of Highlander stuff though...

The only drawback is the stupid sound effects the players will make every time their character uses that weapon.

WWWwoooom, WWwaaaooomm. tsiiiiiiiiiich!!!

What are the characteristics of a lightsabre?

1. Ignores material hardness, hence ignoring Armor, Shields (but not magical bonuses to AC from these).

2. Ability to sever limbs and heads.

3. Does lots of damage

Well, simply put, it's a mix of Vorpal and Brilliant Energy weapons qualities (both with a +5 weapon modifier) on a Greatsword (take monkey grip feat to use it in one hand) for a nasty level 40 weapon.

But we want to have it at low level right? YES!!

So, what do I suggest? A sort of Weapon of Legacy that starts giving you these benefit slowly through the levels (for example more damage, ignores more and more DR/Hardness and Armor), so you feel like having a proper sword from the beginning but also a balanced one :))

(Paizo) could at least provide us, the subscribers, with a page blurb that explains how to draft our own game-balanced flaws - be they for classes, races, or general.

P.S. I guess traits are out of the question?

If you want guidelines on how to design flaws you should check page 91 of Unearthed Arcana (from Wizards of the Coast).

As for traits design, check page 89 of the same manual ;)

Sounds like you have some cool ideas for a query, Rajaat. :)

Thanx Zherog

Maybe you ought to send an e-mail to the editors.

Then they would ask me to develop them myself :(

Honestly, I just wanted to plant some seeds in the people that read these forums (editors or freelancer alike)...so that someone maybe develops it... ;)

As long as it is not a one-to-one conversion of magical to psionic. Over at WotC's psionics forum there are strong feelings against "Psionic X" stuff, which is taken to mean psionic stuff that is merely an exact analog of something magical, with a few changes in the wording, search-and-replace style.

As far as I saw, the feeling most have at WotC psionics forum about Psionics IS WILDLY misplaced. So far there is a psionic variant to the dragon disciple (called Ruby Disciple[?]), the psionic thief (mind's eye), psionic assassin (also mind's eye) and all of them are quite unique, not psionic spin-offs of magical counterparts as you suggest.

There are a couple of independent updates at the WotC psionic forum, none official yet.

That's why I ask for something official. Don't you think?

Ok guys I'm back with a few ideas that were running into my head.

1) What about the psionic version of the Druid? He would be able to use most of the druid's 'wild shape' feats, would have his special power list (possibly), and maybe a few cool features of his own.

2) Dragon Totemist. A vartiant to the Totemist in Magic of Incarnum.

3) I would like to see a few feats for Half-Dragons. For example I would like to see a feat that allow to use character HD instead of racial HD to calculate the breath weapon's save DC. Or a feat that gives you SR if you are dragonblooded. Or something that explains 'why oh why?' a half dragon of size Medium or smaller doesn't get wings. Because I really hate that. :(

4) Please, I would like to see the v.3.5 conversion of the Arch Psion (formerly published in a mind's eye article on WotC website). I found it tricky to convert it by myself, especially to make it compatible with the Erudite (a psionic class published on Dragon Mag, I'm sure you remember)....unless it's going to be published on the upcoming Complete Psionics...that is ;)

I've been wondering about something though since I first saw symbionts and grafts in the Fiend Folio; if a PC aquires a symbiont or graft, does their level adjustment change?

No

Or is it considered the same as aquiring an intellegent weapon?

Yes

If its like a weapon, could a PC (or NPC for that matter) buy a symbiont?

Yes

How about a playable symbiote race like from stargate, you could switch hosts and stuff.

Or maybe an ethrial ghostly possesing one?

Or perhaps the symbiote dosent level, instead you "outgrow" your host and have to find a host a level higher, maybe the DM rolls up a new host for you at each level?

Could be fun!

No

After spreading Evil and Random monosyllabic answers, I can go back into _The Black_

But before I go

Actually, this is a good idea.

That's the spirit!! ;)

My first character was a D&D basic (circa 1990) human cleric called Donovan Godsprayer (I couldn't come up with a cool name so my DM chose for me). Died in an encounter with a Renegade Drow Wizard (a dragonlace black robe wizard so twisted he became 'renegade').

I never made it to level 2.

Then I became DM.

They never made it to level 2...

Then we switched to Rifts rpg. They never made it to level 2...

Having seen some really nice ideas pertaining grafts and Symbionts (Fiend Folio, Libris Mortis, Lords of Madness, Magic of Eberron) it will be nice to see some of the ideas developed more.

Here is what I'd like to see:

- Synergetic effects due to the use of 'same type' of Grafts
(i.e. using for example 'x' plant grafts at once)

- Alternate classes (or prestige classes) that are specialist at creating and using one type of Graft (for example an alternate druid that can create plant-grafts that function as weapons, armors and that give him some special abilities) or an Elementalist-Grafter that can craft Grafts of all elements and unite them in himself to unlock the power of the fifth element (yes I know, 5th element = slight cliche')

- New Symbionts that work as alternate magic items and that can be imbued with arcane/divine/psionic power.

- New Grafts

- Grafts of Legacy

- Artifact Grafts (well at least some of them)

PS : Please don't ask ME to write this stuff. I can and I would, but I'm too lazy. Plus I have personality issues with game balance (I like to unbalance it).

Now, I don't know how you feel about your writing skills, but if you wanted to write this article (so it most closely matches your vision) then I heartily suggest you do so. Jason Bulmahn (make sure to get that "h" in the right place) at dragon@paizo.com is in charge of feature queries (as this would have to be).

Sounds like the right thing to do.

PS: Dragon King Prestige Class --> Dark Sun?

Indeed.

Nice! Borys, I'm coming!!!

Rajaat - based on your descriptions, you obviously view this as a new base class that you'd like to see developed. I'll offer two ideas.

1) Races of Dragon is coming out in the near future. At GenCon, the folks from WotC said the book contained a new race that was essentially a transformation from one race into something else. From what they mentioned at GenCon, what you had on the starting side was pretty flexible - you could start as a human, elf, etc; and over time you would turn into this new race. Of course, they didn't provide details of what the new race was. However, even if this new race isn't a dragon, it would give you a guideline to start with to develop your own race that does turn you into a dragon-like creature.

Let's see how this turns out.

2) Don't discount prestige classes. While the Dragon Disciple doesn't do what you want, it too offers you a road map towards developing a prestige class that handles the transformation the way you'd like. By making it a 10 level PrC, you have the ability to develop an Epic progression to ensure the character continues to grow.

I just thought that my idea could be of some interest as a variant to the existing half-dragon/dragon disciple thing that could be worth exploring, especially as a complement to Races of the Dragon.

Rajaat returns into _The Black_ *sigh*

I always felt Eberron should have been called Eberreon instead.

Regional feats feel a bit like a no-no to me (they add pages and pages of boring tables in Forgotten Realms already, please don't taint Eberreon too).

Well, the dragon disciple prestige class sort of does this (see the DMG). The dragon monster classes sort of do this (see Dragon #320 and #332). The upcoming dragon king prestige class sort of does this (see Dragon #339).

Are those what you have in mind?

I have the DMG, dragon #320 & #332, but

-I am not too happy about the dragon disciple prestige class, as it has no spell resistance, no frightful presence and the ability to use once per day its breath weapon is a bit not-so-useful (or maybe I am just jealous about the complete arcane's warlock ability to unleash 9d6 of arcane damage per round); plus overall it has a strong warrior emphasis (being based on the half-dragon template) and it has a weak spellcasting ability (most people would take only 1 'wasted' level in sorcerer just to be able to enter the prestige class).

-The dragon monster classes, even if quite interesting, impose the use of non-humaniod races (I mean they are quadrupeds) and they change size every few levels. Plus not all dm's like to accomodate pure dragons in their campaign, they are not always made for dungeon crawling

What I had in mind is something more akin to a transformational class, less fighter-focused, where you slowly develop typical dragon abilities during 20 levels and you don't even change size (even though the Powerful Build racial ability of Half-Giants and Goliaths would be interesting to add). Plus it could also be taken by someone with the half-dragon template to improve his/her existing abilities (the abilities they have only improve if they have racial HD, so saving from its breath weapon at higher levels is far too easy). Furthermore, taking it a step further, you could have transformational classes for other monsters.

Just my two cents ;)

PS: Dragon King Prestige Class --> Dark Sun?

I thought that it would be nice to invent a class in which
you slowly develop your favorite dragon abilities (SR, wings, improved stats, breath weapon, energy resistance, damage resistance but also subtype vulnerability).

The class could be made so that at Epic levels you continue gaining more power in a linear way (improved DC to frightful presence, breath weapon, SR, energy resistance, natural armor bonus).

Also, it would be nice if you could get the half-giants' & goliath ability to be considered a large creature without actually being Large.

Some draconic feats could also complement the article, as well as abilities specific for each dragon type (please include gem dragon stuff)

Well, for what's worth, a comic made specifically for dragon from Richard Burlew would be a great thing. Maybe one featuring his campaign that got him in the WotC final. Hope to see a monthly column soon ...

The conversion of the Dark Sun Campaign Setting to v.3.5 edition only needs an article featuring Athas' Advanced beings (Dragons, Avangions, Elementals and Spirits of the Land)
to be complete. I know this article would be very unlikely to appear (being both campaign specific, but hopefully adaptable to other campaigns, and Epic), but the gradual transformation of a character into a dragon is the coolest thing ever.

I've had a few ideas that you might want to explore.

1) Themed Substitution levels. Substitution levels have been introduced in some WotC manuals (Planar HB, Races of Stone, Races of Destiny). It would be nice to get some substitution levels based around a theme like dragon, undead, nature, darkness, elemental, etc. that are appliable to any class (perhaps you could do it also for psionic classes and other classes presented in the 'Complete' series, such as warlocks, etc).

2) Racial Alternate Abilities & Paragon Racial Classes (such as those presented in Unearthed Arcana).

3) More abilities from the Dragon #304 article 'Prestige Races'. (ability to grow wings, to regenerate, to develop various racial & undead traits, etc)

4) Transformational Prestige Classes. Prestige classes similar to the Dragon Disciple (see DMG).

5) Monster Classes: Chromatic Dragons, Gem Dragons, Celestials, Devils, Demons. Please don't shy away from Epic Levels. I always wanted to play a Pit Fiend, a Balor or a Soalr from level 1 to whatever Epic level it goes.

If you need more ideas.. just ask. I have plenty more.