Players 3
Characters 4.
Half-Elf Fighter (Focusing on Bows)
* Loved the new rules for Half Elves, didn't feel like half an elf.
Quote - "This is awesome I don't have to take Half-Elf Paragon to get what I want from my character"
Elan Psion
- Hit Dice Increased to D6 (ala Wizard)
- Elan now counts as humanoid, not aberration, gave Half-Elf Adaptability (it seemed to make sense)
2 Kobolds (1 Barbarian, 1 Cleric of Saranrae)
- It took a while to convince the player that losing Domain Spells wasn't so bad if you get Newer and Niftier domain powers.
- Player often forgot about Domain Powers (took good and healing)
- Everybody loved Turn Undead healing allies, since they could adventure for longer and the Cleric got to cast other spells (like bless)
Character Creation Positives.
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- Racial Starting Hit Points were very much appreciated, everyone felt like adventurers rather than pinatas.
Character Creation Negatives.
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Players felt Skill choices were too limiting, one character wanted to just take a couple of ranks in a few 'out there skills' but couldn't because of how skill choices worked. Others were confused as to what their bonuses actually were.
When characters leveled up they were unsure what their new bonuses were. Either way it seemed more limiting and more confusing than skill points.
Other Positives
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Players liked the idea that they "Got something every level" - Skill choice on even and feat on odd.
The fighter liked that he wouldn't need to take "Weapon Focus" since that was part of the fighter class any way.
Other House Rules and Changes
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Skill List was further consolidated -
Athletics (Climb, Jump, Swim)
Acrobatics (Climb, Jump, Swim) - Characters could choose better of strength or Dex for jump checks basically
Diplomacy (Diplomacy/Gather Information)
Persuade (Bluff/Intimidate)
Perception was changed to
Perception (Passive) Wis
Perception (Active) Int
Basically whenever I called for a Perception check it was a passive skill, whenever the player's asked for one it was an active skill. Its a little change but I felt it was a necessary one.
Combat Feats - When I showed players how they worked, nobody wanted to use them. Especially when they were feats they had in a previous edition that didn't require build up (Such as the Dodge Tree). On a unanimous vote Combat Feats were changed so that you did not need to use the lower feat in a previous round.
We thought that Combat Feats might work, but as a separate idea, where the feat is literally more powerful than previously published feats. (By building up over the rounds you should get a BIG pay off, especially since you can only use ONE combat feat a round).
Magic - Since one player was really set on playing a psion (Psychokinetic), I gave him the telekinetic fist power that a transmuter gets. He was psyched (pun intended), because it meant that when he ran out of Power Points he didn't have to call a stop the adventuring.
Things accomplished -
Characters defeated a CR 4 green dragon (it was the second encounter after resting), one character was reduced to negative hit points, but a timely Turn Undead revived him. (Since it was the equivalent of a CR 5 encounter I gave them experience for a CR 5 creature.
Characters Defeated without rest -
13 normal kobolds
1 Deinonychus
1 kobold bard (1st level)
1 Half-Green Dragon Kobold Barbarian (Breath weapon removed)
During
3 CR 1 Traps
(They had access to about 3 CLW potions)
In that span one character was brought to negative hit points 3 times.
Another was reduced to negatives 1 time.
Turn Undead was the difference between life and death.
Next Session - Testing the CMB to the limit and trying to remind my cleric about his nifty new powers.