Post/Author/DateTime	Post
shift244 10-25-04, 10:07 PM	Not exactly like the title sounds, but not sure how else to name it. The thought actually occured to me awhile back, but it took me this long to voice it. Probably nothing new either, though I found nothing on a quick search of this board... Anyway, the topic is this: We note that all PrCs begin BAB progression at level 1. For Warrior 1/1 progression, this makes not difference. For spellcaster 1/2 progression, this is noticable, but not really bothered with, since their reliance should be anything but BAB. However, this really hurts the 3/4 progresion, like a Rogue/ShadowDancer. Going upwards, they will lose 1 (or maybe 2) BAB. A small number perhaps, but significant enough when all you want is just that 1 more point to get a 5% better chance of overcomming AC. This gets worse with multiple such classes, like Cleric/Rogue/ShadowDancer and the like. Same goes for poor Save progressions, while stacked good Save progressions can get phenominal. A Bard/Rogue/ShadowDancer would have a +4 Reflex better than any straight Rogue, but will have a Fortitude save so bad, that the average Elven Wizard can drink him to stupor, and still so for a fist fight with a monk. My question is this. Is this intentional and part of the "game balance" that is inherent in the system itself? Or an unintentional by-product of poor documentation and oversight in the designers part? Personally, I see it as the latter. And I have toughts that a Rogue(10)/ShadowDancer(10) should have the same BAB and Saves as a Rogue(20). Right now, the former character will have poorer BAB, worse Fort and Will, but better Reflex. This means that the progression of BAB and Saves of the 1st ShadowDancer level is not taken by the table, but adjusted according to the Rogue levels. Something akin to +spellcaster level progression so often seen in PrCs. Thence, it will be a matter to note BAB progressions as 1/1, 3/4 or 1/2 and Saves as good or poor, instead of tabulating it as is practiced now. This should work pretty well since thereare only 3 BAB progressions and 2 Save progressions (that are official that is), unless I am very much mistaken. This should work for any multiclassing so a Wizard/Sorcerer of the same character level has the same BAB and Saves of a Wizard of the same level. The "stacking" as suggested only works on the same progression basis, so a Rogue taking level 1 Wizard will still gain +0 BAB, Fort, Reflex and +2 Will. I have yet to test it out, but it seems more "balanced" than leaving it as it is now.
edsonaoki 10-25-04, 11:49 PM	Originally Posted by shift244 My question is this. Is this intentional and part of the "game balance" that is inherent in the system itself? Or an unintentional by-product of poor documentation and oversight in the designers part? None of them. I think the primary reason was to make the stacking of BAB and saves as simple as possible and avoid confusion. This also make prestige class charts an easy reference, since you can just pick the line of your current level and add the PrC base attack/saving throw bonus to calculate your base attack/saving throw. I think your variant is nice, however.
Lord Schpungus 10-26-04, 12:57 AM	Look at Fractional Base Attack and Saves in Unearthed Arcana. It's exactly what you're looking for.