Korgoth wrote:
OK. But suppose I'm thinking that I want a character with a good chance of survival, because I don't want to start over at 1st level when everybody else is at 5th (that is, due to getting fragged by a monster or trap).
So roll up a 5th level character or 6th if you feel you need a 1 level advantage on everyone else.
Korgoth wrote:
Who is more survivable? One guy can heal himself, is immune to disease, can detect evil (useful for avoiding scrapes), has a good attack bonus and rolls d10 for hit points (useful for surviving scrapes); the other guy rolls d6 for hit points, is not immune to anything, cannot heal himself, and most of his abilities in combat work once, if at all, and only from surprise... and he couldn't fight his way out of a brown paper kobold.
Heh, my kobolds would kill both the paladin and the rogue (see Killer Kobold Cave). Seriously though, when well played, rogues are tricky opponents (i.e. use malatauf cocktails to increase their damage).
Korgoth wrote:
This gets back to the 3rd Edition problem. If you make all classes advance evenly, then you have to make them all roughly equal in power at a given level.
Rogue have mostly "miscellaneous" abilities rather than attack or defense abilities. Miscellaneous abilities help most outside combat, whereas attack and defense abilities are combat oriented. One isn't better than the other as you seem to suggest.
Korgoth wrote:
I like the uneven advancement in C&C... but you have to realize (I think) that a favorable XP table is a class ability. So if you take away the Thief's advantage in level progression, you've taken away one of his powers. Which Paladin power will you take away to compensate?
None. A well-played rogue does just fine at equal levels and compliments the paladin well. You sound as if you want them to fight each other instead of working together.
Korgoth wrote:
A 5th level Paladin has a lot better chance of living through an adventure than does a 5th level Thief (or "Rogue"... sorry). However, according to the XP charts he will be 6th level to the Paladin's 5th. Which gives him that extra edge he needs to remain competitive.
Party's are always unbalanced to some extent. That why there's a level range for every mod. Like you, I always recommend that rogues be 1 level higher than other characters in the dungeon, but it's really up to the players. Say for example a dungeon is 4th-6th level. I recommend 6th level wizards and rogues, 5th level clerics and 4th level fighter types...basically going by Hit dice so the overall hit point distribution margin is narrower.
You seem to have missed my point. Players don't really care about levels in my campaign so long as they have a character in the range that's being played, and that's a really good attitude as concerns the game. If they don't have one in the level range, they role one up or modify one they have. It's how you play the character that counts and makes the game fun. It's not about comparing your power to everyone else's. All that amounts to is bragging rights, which I highly discourage in the following manner....
If an overpowered character presses their advantage to dominate over the party in a dungeon, I target them repeatedly until they're in danger of dying...and hence no greater than anyone else. I freely admit, in my campaign, power gamers are always an endangered breed.
I respect your opinion. My suggests are not intended to tell anyone how to run their campaign, just saying what works for me. Refer to rule #1. All CKs reserve the right to paint their world as they see fit.
Brian Miller
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"The adventure continues"
Promoting C&C at Gary Con and LGGC since 2005.