New to RPGA, a little help with first character? [Archive] - Wizards Community

New to RPGA, a little help with first character? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
zheader
07-14-07, 02:33 AM Hi, I plan on attending an xen' drik event(s) at PAX this year with my friend, and I wanted to ask some questions on character creation. I've read through all the rules, and I think I grasped most of them, but I'd like to ask some questions. My friend and I decided to do an intertwined backstory. He's going to be a spellcaster from a dragon-marked house, no firm idea of what type or which one yet, and I'm going to be his warforged monk bodygaurd, with a battlefist for a weapon. We'll be in the Black Wheel faction. Now, since by PAX the starting level will be level 7, this warforged monk will have purity of body(lvl5) and diamond body(lvl7), which are redundant with the warforged race, since disease and poisons don't affect them already. Are there any Xen' drik expeditions compatable adjustments to this, like a warforged racial substitution level? Can I use expansion slots to do something? Also, I seem to recall a feat called Kung Fu genius, from the Dragon compendium, that allowed a monk to use Intelligence as opposed to Wisdom for its abilities. I no longer have access to the book, but I can't find it in the WotC Feat index. A little help? Anyone played a warforged monk before?
Thank you in advance!
WolfStar76
07-14-07, 06:38 AM Hi, I plan on attending an xen' drik event(s) at PAX this year with my friend, and I wanted to ask some questions on character creation.

Always good to see a new face 'round these parts. Welcome to the RPGA. : )

I've read through all the rules, and I think I grasped most of them, but I'd like to ask some questions. My friend and I decided to do an intertwined backstory. He's going to be a spellcaster from a dragon-marked house, no firm idea of what type or which one yet, and I'm going to be his warforged monk bodygaurd, with a battlefist for a weapon. We'll be in the Black Wheel faction.

Off to a good start so far. :)

Now, since by PAX the starting level will be level 7,

Well, that's popular opinion - until the new Campaign Standard 3 comes out we don't know for *sure* that it'll be 7, but that's what we're all anticipating. :)

this warforged monk will have purity of body(lvl5) and diamond body(lvl7), which are redundant with the warforged race, since disease and poisons don't affect them already. Are there any Xen' drik expeditions compatable adjustments to this, like a warforged racial substitution level?

Not that I know of at this time - though, as someone who is a GM primarily, I'm not as well versed in the character creation rules as others are.

Can I use expansion slots to do something?

You *could* spend your first 2 Expansion Slots to unlock Warforged Monk racial substitution levels - there's details on that on page 5 of the Xen'Drik Expeditions Campaign Standards 2.0.

However there's nothing "built-in" to replace class features that overlap race features.

Also, I seem to recall a feat called Kung Fu genius, from the Dragon compendium, that allowed a monk to use Intelligence as opposed to Wisdom for its abilities. I no longer have access to the book, but I can't find it in the WotC Feat index. A little help? Anyone played a warforged monk before?
Thank you in advance!

Alas, Dragon magazine (and it's compendium) aren't on the approved source list at this time, so even if you found it, it wouldn't be campaign legal.
Timlagor
07-14-07, 09:03 AM If there are Warforged Monk Substitution levels in an XE-used book then you can take them by spending the ESlots -I don't think they do exist though.

I haven't played a warforged monk.
My advice on monks in general is to focus on strength.
Do not under any circumstances* spend less than 6 build points on Constitution.

There will be a new XECS by the time you play so be sure to check it because there will probably be significant changes.

* Good advice for any character but essential for a monk
zheader
07-14-07, 12:14 PM So 7th level is something I should bank on, but not finalize, got it. I'm disappointed about that no Dragon rule. I'll have to look around for an alternative. I can't seem to find any monk substitution levels, so I'll probably just have to bear it. I wonder how I can explain that ability in RP though? I'll make sure to read the XECS. Any idea on date that'll be out?
Thanks for the welcome!
dreamwolf
07-14-07, 12:46 PM They are trying to get the CS 3.0 out for GenCon, but IIRC it was a couple of weeks later last year.
lseelba
07-14-07, 02:14 PM The level bump will certainly be to level 7. You can bank on that.

Why? Because all the fastplays that we have been voting on for the last few weeks are all level 7 (or ECL 7). I can't imagine why we'd have fastplays lower level or higher level than the level bump.
lseelba
07-14-07, 03:05 PM By the way, you get Diamond Body at Level 11. You get Wholeness of Body at Level 7. The good news is that warforged monks can use Wholeness of Body to repair damage, rather than heal damage.
zheader
07-15-07, 02:47 PM Whoops, switched 'em up, lol. But that is good news. Less money I have to spend on repair potions.
CAPT_Obvious
07-15-07, 09:41 PM I recently got back into gaming after a long hiatus and have been getting my gaming fix mostly through PbP games on the internet. I play in two games and DM two others. All of my experience of late has been in Eberron campaign setting.

I'm going to GenCon for the first time this year and thought I might give organized play a try. How accessible are the Xen'drik Expeditions games to new players, particularly those who haven't been around a table in a few years? Should I use a fastplay character?
Herrbard
07-16-07, 10:06 AM How accessible are the Xen'drik Expeditions games to new players, particularly those who haven't been around a table in a few years? Should I use a fastplay character?
I've been running this campaign from the beginning, and it has been one of the easiest campaigns to insert new players in. I think every table I ran at Origins (five) had at least one new player at the table. If I'm correct, HQ was sending folks who were just looking to get into a game to the Xen'drik tables, and most of them had fast play characters. I know we went through a lot of RPGA cards two weeks ago!

That being said, remember that at GenCon there will be another level bump, and fast play characters will be at seventh level (according to the poll we all just voted in, anyway). So while you may be new to the system, you will be playing a PC of effective character level 7. A fast play is a good option, as you can then build your own default character after the event is over and still get credit for playing it at GenCon.

Be sure to read the Xen'drik Expeditions Campaign Standards here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebxe/welcome
This can answer a lot of questions. New fast play characters should be posted in the next few weeks, so watch for them at the same web page.

Have fun!
imperatrix
07-17-07, 01:44 AM Should I use a fastplay character?

Hiya, Capt Obvious! :) Glad to hear you're getting back in the game! Here's my take on it: if you know what you want to play and have the time/energy/resources to create your own character, go ahead and build your own. That way you've got something you're a little more attached to and you probably like a little more. Plus, with level bumps and all that hoo-hah, you can be a little more creative with multi-classed characters and all.

Thankfully, though, if you're short on time/energy/resources, the fastplays available for XE are pretty well balanced and researched. Now, you do still need to look over the sheet carefully should you decide to go with one - these aren't papal bulls. ;) But they are still *very* solid characters and I'm confident handing them to new players. I saw the Codex half-elf bard and changeling rogue played quite nicely this weekend with very little confusion/difficulty, and the bard was run by someone who hadn't ever played D&D before (but played other RPGs).

Hope that helps ya out a little. Welcome back!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
zheader 07-14-07, 02:33 AM	Hi, I plan on attending an xen' drik event(s) at PAX this year with my friend, and I wanted to ask some questions on character creation. I've read through all the rules, and I think I grasped most of them, but I'd like to ask some questions. My friend and I decided to do an intertwined backstory. He's going to be a spellcaster from a dragon-marked house, no firm idea of what type or which one yet, and I'm going to be his warforged monk bodygaurd, with a battlefist for a weapon. We'll be in the Black Wheel faction. Now, since by PAX the starting level will be level 7, this warforged monk will have purity of body(lvl5) and diamond body(lvl7), which are redundant with the warforged race, since disease and poisons don't affect them already. Are there any Xen' drik expeditions compatable adjustments to this, like a warforged racial substitution level? Can I use expansion slots to do something? Also, I seem to recall a feat called Kung Fu genius, from the Dragon compendium, that allowed a monk to use Intelligence as opposed to Wisdom for its abilities. I no longer have access to the book, but I can't find it in the WotC Feat index. A little help? Anyone played a warforged monk before? Thank you in advance!
WolfStar76 07-14-07, 06:38 AM	Hi, I plan on attending an xen' drik event(s) at PAX this year with my friend, and I wanted to ask some questions on character creation. Always good to see a new face 'round these parts. Welcome to the RPGA. : ) I've read through all the rules, and I think I grasped most of them, but I'd like to ask some questions. My friend and I decided to do an intertwined backstory. He's going to be a spellcaster from a dragon-marked house, no firm idea of what type or which one yet, and I'm going to be his warforged monk bodygaurd, with a battlefist for a weapon. We'll be in the Black Wheel faction. Off to a good start so far. :) Now, since by PAX the starting level will be level 7, Well, that's popular opinion - until the new Campaign Standard 3 comes out we don't know for sure that it'll be 7, but that's what we're all anticipating. :) this warforged monk will have purity of body(lvl5) and diamond body(lvl7), which are redundant with the warforged race, since disease and poisons don't affect them already. Are there any Xen' drik expeditions compatable adjustments to this, like a warforged racial substitution level? Not that I know of at this time - though, as someone who is a GM primarily, I'm not as well versed in the character creation rules as others are. Can I use expansion slots to do something? You could spend your first 2 Expansion Slots to unlock Warforged Monk racial substitution levels - there's details on that on page 5 of the Xen'Drik Expeditions Campaign Standards 2.0. However there's nothing "built-in" to replace class features that overlap race features. Also, I seem to recall a feat called Kung Fu genius, from the Dragon compendium, that allowed a monk to use Intelligence as opposed to Wisdom for its abilities. I no longer have access to the book, but I can't find it in the WotC Feat index. A little help? Anyone played a warforged monk before? Thank you in advance! Alas, Dragon magazine (and it's compendium) aren't on the approved source list at this time, so even if you found it, it wouldn't be campaign legal.
Timlagor 07-14-07, 09:03 AM	If there are Warforged Monk Substitution levels in an XE-used book then you can take them by spending the ESlots -I don't think they do exist though. I haven't played a warforged monk. My advice on monks in general is to focus on strength. Do not under any circumstances* spend less than 6 build points on Constitution. There will be a new XECS by the time you play so be sure to check it because there will probably be significant changes. * Good advice for any character but essential for a monk
zheader 07-14-07, 12:14 PM	So 7th level is something I should bank on, but not finalize, got it. I'm disappointed about that no Dragon rule. I'll have to look around for an alternative. I can't seem to find any monk substitution levels, so I'll probably just have to bear it. I wonder how I can explain that ability in RP though? I'll make sure to read the XECS. Any idea on date that'll be out? Thanks for the welcome!
dreamwolf 07-14-07, 12:46 PM	They are trying to get the CS 3.0 out for GenCon, but IIRC it was a couple of weeks later last year.
lseelba 07-14-07, 02:14 PM	The level bump will certainly be to level 7. You can bank on that. Why? Because all the fastplays that we have been voting on for the last few weeks are all level 7 (or ECL 7). I can't imagine why we'd have fastplays lower level or higher level than the level bump.
lseelba 07-14-07, 03:05 PM	By the way, you get Diamond Body at Level 11. You get Wholeness of Body at Level 7. The good news is that warforged monks can use Wholeness of Body to repair damage, rather than heal damage.
zheader 07-15-07, 02:47 PM	Whoops, switched 'em up, lol. But that is good news. Less money I have to spend on repair potions.
CAPT_Obvious 07-15-07, 09:41 PM	I recently got back into gaming after a long hiatus and have been getting my gaming fix mostly through PbP games on the internet. I play in two games and DM two others. All of my experience of late has been in Eberron campaign setting. I'm going to GenCon for the first time this year and thought I might give organized play a try. How accessible are the Xen'drik Expeditions games to new players, particularly those who haven't been around a table in a few years? Should I use a fastplay character?
Herrbard 07-16-07, 10:06 AM	How accessible are the Xen'drik Expeditions games to new players, particularly those who haven't been around a table in a few years? Should I use a fastplay character? I've been running this campaign from the beginning, and it has been one of the easiest campaigns to insert new players in. I think every table I ran at Origins (five) had at least one new player at the table. If I'm correct, HQ was sending folks who were just looking to get into a game to the Xen'drik tables, and most of them had fast play characters. I know we went through a lot of RPGA cards two weeks ago! That being said, remember that at GenCon there will be another level bump, and fast play characters will be at seventh level (according to the poll we all just voted in, anyway). So while you may be new to the system, you will be playing a PC of effective character level 7. A fast play is a good option, as you can then build your own default character after the event is over and still get credit for playing it at GenCon. Be sure to read the Xen'drik Expeditions Campaign Standards here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebxe/welcome This can answer a lot of questions. New fast play characters should be posted in the next few weeks, so watch for them at the same web page. Have fun!
imperatrix 07-17-07, 01:44 AM	Should I use a fastplay character? Hiya, Capt Obvious! :) Glad to hear you're getting back in the game! Here's my take on it: if you know what you want to play and have the time/energy/resources to create your own character, go ahead and build your own. That way you've got something you're a little more attached to and you probably like a little more. Plus, with level bumps and all that hoo-hah, you can be a little more creative with multi-classed characters and all. Thankfully, though, if you're short on time/energy/resources, the fastplays available for XE are pretty well balanced and researched. Now, you do still need to look over the sheet carefully should you decide to go with one - these aren't papal bulls. ;) But they are still very solid characters and I'm confident handing them to new players. I saw the Codex half-elf bard and changeling rogue played quite nicely this weekend with very little confusion/difficulty, and the bard was run by someone who hadn't ever played D&D before (but played other RPGs). Hope that helps ya out a little. Welcome back!