We starting to think about the new campaign and based on what my group is talking about playing, I wanted to add a DMPC to the group. I was thinking about adding some kind of monster type using the level progression from Savage Species and had this idea that I wanted a Lantern Archon to follow them around. Savage Species has level progression for the Hound and Trumpet Archon but no Lantern Archon. If I understand the rules for the level progression correctly you take the moster HD and it's level adjustment and thats how many levels the level progression should take. Now the Lantern Archon has 1 HD and no level adjustment which would mean that its should only take one level, but that seems a little too easy since it has so much stuff that it gets like DR, spell-like abilities, an aura and a ray attack just to name a few. Now I know its a DMPC so I can do what I want but I want to do what makes sense for game balance. It almost seems like it should be three levels to get all of it's abilities. What does everyone else think?
I recommend finding another monster with the same CR and use it's level adjustment. 1 HD is about as good as a LA +0 guy, but the CR makes a difference. I need to check...
EDIT: Okay, checked d20srd, it is CR 2.
you could always just pull a DM intervention on yourself, and just give the lantern three levels to get to "Full" lantern; with an extra HD.(so 2 HD in all, at theoretical level 3)
|
I once played a lantern archon in a planes-hopping game, so I offer a word of caution. They are extremely powerful when used intelligently.
Perfect flight, helpful auras, and (most dangerously) light rays that ignore DR, armor, and SR (if I remember correctly). The one I played took a couple levels of cleric, but in hindsight it might have been more broken to become a weapon master with the light rays. I'm not saying powerful is bad, but you might overshadow a regular player unless they have a few levels on your DMPC. My two coppers.
I once played a lantern archon in a planes-hopping game, so I offer a word of caution. They are extremely powerful when used intelligently.
Perfect flight, helpful auras, and (most dangerously) light rays that ignore DR, armor, and SR (if I remember correctly). The one I played took a couple levels of cleric, but in hindsight it might have been more broken to become a weapon master with the light rays. I'm not saying powerful is bad, but you might overshadow a regular player unless they have a few levels on your DMPC. My two coppers.
Yeah I think I saw you mention that in another thread as well. I don't want to overshadow them either with a DMPC. I like the visual of a glowing orb following them around and with it's alignment being kind of the morale high ground to the party's most likely very neutral alignment. The light ray I thought was only 1d6 up to twice a round which doesn't seem too bad. The Aid spell at will could be a problem but maybe for personal reasons it won't do it all the time (maybe only doing it on people it feels is trying to uphold its morale beliefes). Maybe I should just use a Will O' Wisp for the same visual affect.