The Campaign Builder's Guild

One idea I had while making communities through out my setting was that it wasn't easy to adjucate making NPCs favor their favored class. The simplest method, giving a +2 or similar bonus to their level frequency when creating communities, really didn't work well (especially since the community generator really only works well for human communities); it made the settlements look good, but it didn't help when crafting individual NPCs.

Then an idea donned on me: What if NPCs generally possess 1/4th their character levels in their favored class. This wouldn't have to be a hard fast rule, but I think it would add flavor to them. Elves would all have some magic (even elf commoners, though common commoners won't go past 7th level so they'd only have 1 wizard level), all dwarves would know how to wield weapons and wear armor, and all halflings would be thieving monkeys ... heh.

What do you think? I think it would add flavor to the demihumans, make them more archetypical.

Besides making the NPC very stereotypical I don't see anything wrong with this. (Disclaimer: I just got up so thinking isn't my thing right now. I'll check in again later)

Okay, things:

I've been looking for favored class modifications for a while now. Specifically, because while I like the idea of favored classes to help color up a race, I hate the idea of multiclass penalties to XP (as much of my revised mechanics depend upon the ease and availability of flexible multiclassing.)

This applies to NPCs only, correct? (I'm pretty sure few DMs would consider extending something like this to PCs.)

I'm sure it would add flavor to them, but it might just make them a little monotonous. I'd have to see it in practice, I think. And who's to say you can't have a straight-up dwarven wizard; do they perhaps have required stints in the military or something, that account for those fighter levels?

So, something about it rubs me the wrong way, and I can't place my finger on it. But then again, something about it is also very appealing.

I wonder what, if anything, this system means for humans or other races with Favored Class: Any. I'm also wondering if you have any similar-themed ideas for realizing favored classes in PCs without involving multiclass penalties, because I would like to steal your ideas. :)

I have a low opinion of the favored class aspect of D&D to start with, but would not this serve to make your NPCs repetitive?

Personally, I throw favored classes out the window (metaphorically speaking of course.)  Then (still metaphorically speaking) I get in my car and I run them over again and again until I can't see them anymore.

That said, I do honestly like your idea.  If you wouldn't mind that high level of magic and the repetitive NPCs, I think it would actually work rather well.  Also, I would love to see halflings trying to steal from elven merchants that know Magic Missile.

Quote from: Black Jack DaveyPersonally, I throw favored classes out the window (metaphorically speaking of course.)  Then (still metaphorically speaking) I get in my car and I run them over again and again until I can't see them anymore.

but then (metaphorically speaking), wouldnt the police come after you for aggrevated assault?

seriously though, ive been thinking of doing the same thing by giving all races favored class: any, but i never was sure if that would affect the game....

It might, but probably not in an absolutely game-breaking amount.

Quote from: sdragon1984, newly found godbut then (metaphorically speaking), wouldnt the police come after you for aggrevated assault?

My mother is a deputy sherrif.  She knows I'm crazy and she has accepted that.  She looks the other way.

Well, let me elaborate. Yes, this would only be for NPCs. Since it's 1/4th their character level, non-favored class NPCs wouldn't take up their first level in their favored class till 4th level, so you'd still have a fair number of run of the mill, single classed characters.

It would apply no change to favored class any NPCs.

If you're looking for an idea to remove multiclass restrictions, but keep favored classes, here's my idea: Find some sort of bonus, something small but beneficial, to give a character if they take levels in their favored class. Perhaps substitution levels that are better than normal, or bonus feats every so often ... this would work for both PCs and NPCs, and would encourage more archetypical roles (without entirely discouraging unique roles).

Favored Class is a fair advantage/disadvantage if you actually bother with XP penalties in your game. Humans in this case have a minor advantage in this case, since if they plan to multiclass between core classes at least once (if not more), they can do it without being torn between a cool idea and no XP penalty. An elf who initially takes levels in Ranger and then wants to add some more effective spellcasting can take cleric, druid, sorcerer, or bard with a penalty or go the wizard route and not have the problem. Humans don't have that same difficulty as it's up to them what class will be considered favored.

Of course, there's something in the multiclassing rules about being within so many levels of your main class with the new one to avoid XP penalties, and if you follow that then you're probably alright.

I understand how it works Mez, but between prestige classes and multiple races, I've never seen one person have to try to not get an XP penalty; avoiding them is very easy. I haven't seen favored class's actually do what they're suposed to do; the game doesn't encourage an elf fighter, for instance, to dip a little bit of wizard, and likewise a dwarf cleric is giving up a lot to dip fighter. So you generally see multiclassing between non-casters, but that can be done easily by keeping the base classes within one level and jumping to a PrC.

I like the 1/4 character level idea for NPCs. It reminds me of Baldur's Gate, likely because of the surprise you'd get sometimes when you'd attack a merchant or random person in a tavern or on the street and they'd actually have some spells or crazy abilities to throw your way.

Yeah, I agree about the lack of encouragement from the rules. I don't know if the game system was really that well thought-out in terms of multiclassing at any point in 3.5 (it was alright in 2e). I've had a few fighter/sorcerers and fighter/clerics work very well in my limited long-term PC experience, but they were always on a 1:1 level ratio. The system's problem is that once you start taking multiple levels in one class and decide you want a few of another, the original class's abilites are no longer up to par, and the new class's levels don't exactly compensate. The only rule I can remember off the top of my head that fixes this is the one in Unearthed Arcana that gives effective caster levels based on your total class levels, which was a really cool idea that I like to use, but it still doesn't help all that much.

It gets worse at epic level (if you use those rules), though. Feats like Epic Toughness help heavy spellcasters catch up in HP fast (unless your fighter really doesn't like to do anything in combat and prefers lots and lots of HP to sit around and tank), and the increased number of spell slots help a caster to have more spells that either let them mimic a melee character when it's needed or eliminate that need almost entirely.

Bleh, I'm rambling again.

For players, favored class really just needs to be done by making races be good at certain classes. Dwarfs need to have good fighter abilites (they do), halflings need abilities that complement the rogue class (they do), elves need good wizard traits (they do not?), etc. Having the classes called out specifically is just kludgy and somewhat ineffective, in my opinion.

Also, I mean, it's not like multiclassing into a base class is a more powerful option that needs to be restricted. Certainly not if you're playing with dozens of prestige classes available.

As far as the original topic, it sounds cool enough. I mean, I'm not sure how necessary rules are for DM fiat, but I like the idea of maybe any random elf you meet, no matter the profession, having a 50% chance of being able to cast some spell that will hurt you.