Unlocking alternate class features [Archive] - Wizards Community

Unlocking alternate class features [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Naarg
05-23-07, 02:29 PM Does anyone know if there is a way to unlock the Psionic Assassin alternate class features from Secrets of Sarlona? The campaign standards seem pretty clear that only alternate features for your base class can be unlocked with slots, and I haven't seen a card that can do it. Anyone know if I've overlooked something?
Timlagor
05-24-07, 09:46 AM Is "Secrest of Sarlona" a book? If so it's not on the list in the XECS so you can't take anything from it anyway.
WolfStar76
05-24-07, 01:32 PM New-ish book, probably wasn't available when 2.0 was released.

With 3.0 around the corner, however, it may well get an inclusion soon. (assuming, of course, the Powers That Be don't see any glaring issues with it).
smerwin29
05-24-07, 01:41 PM I'm going to ban it because I don't like alliteration.
Harliquinn
05-24-07, 02:00 PM I'm going to ban it because I don't like alliteration.

See, Shawn, that's a showy and shameless squandering of your sway for selfish sensibilities! Shame on you!
JJeff
05-24-07, 09:10 PM Curiously, Crimson Codex is an alliteration. Can the Crimson Codex Factionmaster condemn his own Codex into Creative Cold-storage, causing countless crimson crowds to cry out counterpoints to the catastrophic consequences in the courts?
smerwin29
05-25-07, 08:38 AM Curiously, Crimson Codex is an alliteration. Can the Crimson Codex Factionmaster condemn his own Codex into Creative Cold-storage, causing countless crimson crowds to cry out counterpoints to the catastrophic consequences in the courts?

Yes.
JJeff
05-25-07, 12:56 PM Cool... No wonder Codex 3-5 is written like that... Blunt handing over of power....
Naarg
08-07-07, 09:36 AM Okay, so now that Secrets of Sarlona has been included in the 3.0 Campaign Standards, I'll ask this again... are the Psionic Assassin alternate class features useable?
Skerrit
08-07-07, 09:47 AM It's not Restricted, so yes, it's available provided you unlock it.
Harliquinn
08-07-07, 10:04 AM Okay, so now that Secrets of Sarlona has been included in the 3.0 Campaign Standards, I'll ask this again... are the Psionic Assassin alternate class features useable?

You'd have to unlock it as your first expansion slot, which would mean restarting a new character.

[EDIT] Oops I see I was beaten to the punch, though I believe what I said still holds.
Naarg
08-07-07, 10:39 AM The line that concerns me says "You may choose to unlock the alternate class features of your starting class at 1st level from any legal source...". Is the starting class restriction intentional? That would prevent any prestige class alternate features, and also alternate features from a class you chose to take a level in after 1st level, even if you chose it as your expansion item at 1st level.
Garden_State_Gamer
08-07-07, 10:43 AM okay, it costs expansion slots to get the base class, so by my understanding, since you have to spend expansion slots to unlock the alternate class abilities, the answer to the original question is "No, you can't."

3 slots to unlock base class
2 slots for alternate class ability.

You can't spend both at the same time. Same with the racial class progressions. i.e., you can't play a warforged racial class paladin with charging smite alternate class feature.

*update* However, if you have a creation card that unlocks the base class, then yes you can unlock any alternate class allowed in an open source as your first expansion slots.
Harliquinn
08-07-07, 10:49 AM The line that concerns me says "You may choose to unlock the alternate class features of your starting class at 1st level from any legal source...". Is the starting class restriction intentional? That would prevent any prestige class alternate features, and also alternate features from a class you chose to take a level in after 1st level, even if you chose it as your expansion item at 1st level.

That was intentional and was there to avoid those very things you mentioned. The idea was that you can take the alternative features but only for your 1st level class and only at as your 1st expansion slot. This gives options without opening it up to abuse or multiple alternate features. I haven't seen any Prestige Class alternate features.
Naarg
08-07-07, 11:41 AM Perhaps, now that prestige class alternate features exist, this could be amended to keep the "must be the first expansion slot" restriction and remove the "starting class" restriction? That would still prevent you from taking multiple alternate features.
Harliquinn
08-07-07, 11:46 AM Perhaps, now that prestige class alternate features exist, this could be amended to keep the "must be the first expansion slot" restriction and remove the "starting class" restriction? That would still prevent you from taking multiple alternate features.

It's possible that such a change might occur. I don't see it in Standards 3.0, but there is time to amend those still I believe. They could still limit it to your starting class or your first prestige class. This wouldn't help any existing characters (since you can't retool your first expansion slot) but would help new characters.
Diablo05
08-09-07, 07:39 PM theoretically, you could unlock an alternate class feature for a prestige class, but you would have to spend your first 2 slots to do so. Just because you unlock something at first level, doesnt mean you have to use it right away, or even qualify for it.

Of course, if your using your first couple slots to unlock a psionic class, your kinda out of luck unless you have a campaign card
Harliquinn
08-09-07, 09:18 PM theoretically, you could unlock an alternate class feature for a prestige class, but you would have to spend your first 2 slots to do so. Just because you unlock something at first level, doesnt mean you have to use it right away, or even qualify for it.

Of course, if your using your first couple slots to unlock a psionic class, your kinda out of luck unless you have a campaign card

The XECS say that you can only unlock alternate class features for your 1st level class, which can never be a PrC.
lseelba
08-11-07, 02:20 PM The XECS say that you can only unlock alternate class features for your 1st level class, which can never be a PrC.

Harliquinn speaks the truth.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Naarg 05-23-07, 02:29 PM	Does anyone know if there is a way to unlock the Psionic Assassin alternate class features from Secrets of Sarlona? The campaign standards seem pretty clear that only alternate features for your base class can be unlocked with slots, and I haven't seen a card that can do it. Anyone know if I've overlooked something?
Timlagor 05-24-07, 09:46 AM	Is "Secrest of Sarlona" a book? If so it's not on the list in the XECS so you can't take anything from it anyway.
WolfStar76 05-24-07, 01:32 PM	New-ish book, probably wasn't available when 2.0 was released. With 3.0 around the corner, however, it may well get an inclusion soon. (assuming, of course, the Powers That Be don't see any glaring issues with it).
smerwin29 05-24-07, 01:41 PM	I'm going to ban it because I don't like alliteration.
Harliquinn 05-24-07, 02:00 PM	I'm going to ban it because I don't like alliteration. See, Shawn, that's a showy and shameless squandering of your sway for selfish sensibilities! Shame on you!
JJeff 05-24-07, 09:10 PM	Curiously, Crimson Codex is an alliteration. Can the Crimson Codex Factionmaster condemn his own Codex into Creative Cold-storage, causing countless crimson crowds to cry out counterpoints to the catastrophic consequences in the courts?
smerwin29 05-25-07, 08:38 AM	Curiously, Crimson Codex is an alliteration. Can the Crimson Codex Factionmaster condemn his own Codex into Creative Cold-storage, causing countless crimson crowds to cry out counterpoints to the catastrophic consequences in the courts? Yes.
JJeff 05-25-07, 12:56 PM	Cool... No wonder Codex 3-5 is written like that... Blunt handing over of power....
Naarg 08-07-07, 09:36 AM	Okay, so now that Secrets of Sarlona has been included in the 3.0 Campaign Standards, I'll ask this again... are the Psionic Assassin alternate class features useable?
Skerrit 08-07-07, 09:47 AM	It's not Restricted, so yes, it's available provided you unlock it.
Harliquinn 08-07-07, 10:04 AM	Okay, so now that Secrets of Sarlona has been included in the 3.0 Campaign Standards, I'll ask this again... are the Psionic Assassin alternate class features useable? You'd have to unlock it as your first expansion slot, which would mean restarting a new character. [EDIT] Oops I see I was beaten to the punch, though I believe what I said still holds.
Naarg 08-07-07, 10:39 AM	The line that concerns me says "You may choose to unlock the alternate class features of your starting class at 1st level from any legal source...". Is the starting class restriction intentional? That would prevent any prestige class alternate features, and also alternate features from a class you chose to take a level in after 1st level, even if you chose it as your expansion item at 1st level.
Garden_State_Gamer 08-07-07, 10:43 AM	okay, it costs expansion slots to get the base class, so by my understanding, since you have to spend expansion slots to unlock the alternate class abilities, the answer to the original question is "No, you can't." 3 slots to unlock base class 2 slots for alternate class ability. You can't spend both at the same time. Same with the racial class progressions. i.e., you can't play a warforged racial class paladin with charging smite alternate class feature. update However, if you have a creation card that unlocks the base class, then yes you can unlock any alternate class allowed in an open source as your first expansion slots.
Harliquinn 08-07-07, 10:49 AM	The line that concerns me says "You may choose to unlock the alternate class features of your starting class at 1st level from any legal source...". Is the starting class restriction intentional? That would prevent any prestige class alternate features, and also alternate features from a class you chose to take a level in after 1st level, even if you chose it as your expansion item at 1st level. That was intentional and was there to avoid those very things you mentioned. The idea was that you can take the alternative features but only for your 1st level class and only at as your 1st expansion slot. This gives options without opening it up to abuse or multiple alternate features. I haven't seen any Prestige Class alternate features.
Naarg 08-07-07, 11:41 AM	Perhaps, now that prestige class alternate features exist, this could be amended to keep the "must be the first expansion slot" restriction and remove the "starting class" restriction? That would still prevent you from taking multiple alternate features.
Harliquinn 08-07-07, 11:46 AM	Perhaps, now that prestige class alternate features exist, this could be amended to keep the "must be the first expansion slot" restriction and remove the "starting class" restriction? That would still prevent you from taking multiple alternate features. It's possible that such a change might occur. I don't see it in Standards 3.0, but there is time to amend those still I believe. They could still limit it to your starting class or your first prestige class. This wouldn't help any existing characters (since you can't retool your first expansion slot) but would help new characters.
Diablo05 08-09-07, 07:39 PM	theoretically, you could unlock an alternate class feature for a prestige class, but you would have to spend your first 2 slots to do so. Just because you unlock something at first level, doesnt mean you have to use it right away, or even qualify for it. Of course, if your using your first couple slots to unlock a psionic class, your kinda out of luck unless you have a campaign card
Harliquinn 08-09-07, 09:18 PM	theoretically, you could unlock an alternate class feature for a prestige class, but you would have to spend your first 2 slots to do so. Just because you unlock something at first level, doesnt mean you have to use it right away, or even qualify for it. Of course, if your using your first couple slots to unlock a psionic class, your kinda out of luck unless you have a campaign card The XECS say that you can only unlock alternate class features for your 1st level class, which can never be a PrC.
lseelba 08-11-07, 02:20 PM	The XECS say that you can only unlock alternate class features for your 1st level class, which can never be a PrC. Harliquinn speaks the truth.