Alienist's Mad Certainty [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alienist's Mad Certainty [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Apollo's Lyre
11-28-05, 09:00 PM I'm currently playing a wizard, and I'd like to take the alienist prestige class. The class looks quite interesting, but I have one question:

Why is mad certainty so bad? For a very lame bonus, your character becomes phobic against some random animal type. Not only is this ability pretty bad, but it really doesn't make any sense. What does gaining a few HP have to do with becoming insane?

Am I missing something about this ability? (I'm using the version from Tome and Blood, but for all I know there could be a 3.5 version out there with diferent abilities...) If I'm right about this ability, could you please suggest a change that would make it less... horrible?
baoban sith
11-28-05, 09:37 PM In Complete Arcane it's changed to a -4 penalty on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Handle Animal checks on nonpseudonatural creatures.
rampant
11-29-05, 03:14 AM what part of eppus psycho do you not understand?
Apollo's Lyre
11-29-05, 01:53 PM I just want to know why the only benefit gained from this ability is a measly +3 hit points. That seems oddly underpowered.
(TD)Faber
11-29-05, 05:10 PM I just want to know why the only benefit gained from this ability is a measly +3 hit points. That seems oddly underpowered.

Hehe, yeah i know, i play an alienist too. It doesn´t really make any sense but hey, a wizard always needs the extra HP and the fobia isn´t that rough at first. So you can, if you will, stop advancing as an alienist when you think it damages your playing to much.
Regulas
11-29-05, 09:57 PM Personnaly i'd just replace the +3 hitpoints with the toughness feat (same thing essentialy), or if you already have toughness then that better version that requires toughness as a prerequisite.
BadCatMan
11-30-05, 12:12 AM Wizards, Sorcerers and Alienists all get only a d4 HD. So the total of 6 HP provided by Mad and Insane Certainty are, on average, worth the HP of two whole levels of these classes (but with no Con bonus). Its actually 1 HP more than the average of 2d4.

It may not look like much of course, but it's a fair improvement for classes with so few, and so precious, HP.

I think its meant to represent the Alienist's insane determination - they'll keep going on, despite what the wounds they might suffer.

Maybe you could argue a case for Improved Toughness instead - its 14 more HP overall.

Alienist is an interestingly balanced PrC for a Wizard - casting progression continues in full, continued familiar advancement, and they even get the two metamagic feats that they'd get if they'd continued with Wizard. They lose nothing from being a Wizard, and gain a little bit more, and are penalised by going completely insane.

It looks like a lot of fun, though I guess its intended more for DMs to use as villians.

They shoulda kept the Phobia. :D 'Aah! A kitten! Run for it!'
Apollo's Lyre
11-30-05, 01:55 PM Well, my wizard already has a +2 Con bonus (Huzzah for toad familliars! :D ) and she already has more HP than our rogue, so the few extra HP won't help her as much. I'll see if I can't get improved toughness.

Are the familliar and metamagic abilites only in 3.5? I don't remember seeing them, but that sounds awesome. If they're not in the T&B version, could you tell me what levels the feats are gained at?

Maybe I'll see if I can keep the phobia, too. The roleplaying possibilites are just awesome for that ability.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Apollo's Lyre 11-28-05, 09:00 PM	I'm currently playing a wizard, and I'd like to take the alienist prestige class. The class looks quite interesting, but I have one question: Why is mad certainty so bad? For a very lame bonus, your character becomes phobic against some random animal type. Not only is this ability pretty bad, but it really doesn't make any sense. What does gaining a few HP have to do with becoming insane? Am I missing something about this ability? (I'm using the version from Tome and Blood, but for all I know there could be a 3.5 version out there with diferent abilities...) If I'm right about this ability, could you please suggest a change that would make it less... horrible?
baoban sith 11-28-05, 09:37 PM	In Complete Arcane it's changed to a -4 penalty on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Handle Animal checks on nonpseudonatural creatures.
rampant 11-29-05, 03:14 AM	what part of eppus psycho do you not understand?
Apollo's Lyre 11-29-05, 01:53 PM	I just want to know why the only benefit gained from this ability is a measly +3 hit points. That seems oddly underpowered.
(TD)Faber 11-29-05, 05:10 PM	I just want to know why the only benefit gained from this ability is a measly +3 hit points. That seems oddly underpowered. Hehe, yeah i know, i play an alienist too. It doesn´t really make any sense but hey, a wizard always needs the extra HP and the fobia isn´t that rough at first. So you can, if you will, stop advancing as an alienist when you think it damages your playing to much.
Regulas 11-29-05, 09:57 PM	Personnaly i'd just replace the +3 hitpoints with the toughness feat (same thing essentialy), or if you already have toughness then that better version that requires toughness as a prerequisite.
BadCatMan 11-30-05, 12:12 AM	Wizards, Sorcerers and Alienists all get only a d4 HD. So the total of 6 HP provided by Mad and Insane Certainty are, on average, worth the HP of two whole levels of these classes (but with no Con bonus). Its actually 1 HP more than the average of 2d4. It may not look like much of course, but it's a fair improvement for classes with so few, and so precious, HP. I think its meant to represent the Alienist's insane determination - they'll keep going on, despite what the wounds they might suffer. Maybe you could argue a case for Improved Toughness instead - its 14 more HP overall. Alienist is an interestingly balanced PrC for a Wizard - casting progression continues in full, continued familiar advancement, and they even get the two metamagic feats that they'd get if they'd continued with Wizard. They lose nothing from being a Wizard, and gain a little bit more, and are penalised by going completely insane. It looks like a lot of fun, though I guess its intended more for DMs to use as villians. They shoulda kept the Phobia. :D 'Aah! A kitten! Run for it!'
Apollo's Lyre 11-30-05, 01:55 PM	Well, my wizard already has a +2 Con bonus (Huzzah for toad familliars! :D ) and she already has more HP than our rogue, so the few extra HP won't help her as much. I'll see if I can't get improved toughness. Are the familliar and metamagic abilites only in 3.5? I don't remember seeing them, but that sounds awesome. If they're not in the T&B version, could you tell me what levels the feats are gained at? Maybe I'll see if I can keep the phobia, too. The roleplaying possibilites are just awesome for that ability.