Gestalt Levels Idea (related to ECL balance question) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Gestalt Levels Idea (related to ECL balance question) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lilt
05-20-04, 11:39 AM This is related to this (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=232956) topic. I decided to put it in a separate thread as it's a somewhat different idea.

One interesting possibility for having Gestalt Characters in normal campaigns would be to allow all characters to choose wether or not they want to take a gestalt level at each level, but they must wait until they have reached 50% higher XP then they normally would need to reach the next level.

I'm having a bit of troubble trying to figure-out exactly how to balance first level gestalts as they don't need to pay any xp to become level 1... Any ideas?
Shade West
06-02-04, 09:10 PM How about requiring Gestalt character to a take an empty "gestalt" level every few levels, like a Bloodline? Perhaps every 3rd level to correspond with the 1.5 X as powerful notion?
Shade West
06-02-04, 09:15 PM Sorry, didn't finish reading the original thread.
fish_heads
06-03-04, 01:21 AM Perhaps you should have them "wait" a level. that is, give them an ECL that doesn't kick in until 2nd level. Gestalt Characters are functionally 1 level more powerful than non-gestalts. The problem then is that they're still more powerful than the rest of the group at level 1.

One thing that I've seen frequently in games is that Gestalt players are limited in number and selection of prestige classes. Just have them get everything pre-approved, and if you think something will put them too far ahead, don't let them do it.

Realistically though, if you have a party that you want at 1st level, and you feel that a GEstalt class would require re-balancing, perhaps it's best if you don't allow it.
roll8dn
06-03-04, 03:59 PM Modifying the ECL of gestalt characters as compared to the base classes represented in the Player's Handbook is one of the most difficult questions about allowing them. The way that my DM handles it is he just raises the encounter level of the monsters that we are likely to meet by 2. Thus, even though we are playing with uber-powered characters on paper, we face challenges that are equivelent (sp?) to what a normal character would face (just like it suggests in UA). I honestly don't believe that there is a good, simple way of calculating the difference in abilities from a gestalt to a normal character. The ECL+2 idea seems to work. Every other level that a normal character would advance, the gestalt character advances. Now, as to whether this will work, I do not know; I haven't played a campaign that had both gestalt and regular characters. However, I do believe this to be the most effective way of keeping the classes balanced. To start a new campaign with gestalt characters, just have everyone start at level 2.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lilt 05-20-04, 11:39 AM	This is related to this (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=232956) topic. I decided to put it in a separate thread as it's a somewhat different idea. One interesting possibility for having Gestalt Characters in normal campaigns would be to allow all characters to choose wether or not they want to take a gestalt level at each level, but they must wait until they have reached 50% higher XP then they normally would need to reach the next level. I'm having a bit of troubble trying to figure-out exactly how to balance first level gestalts as they don't need to pay any xp to become level 1... Any ideas?
Shade West 06-02-04, 09:10 PM	How about requiring Gestalt character to a take an empty "gestalt" level every few levels, like a Bloodline? Perhaps every 3rd level to correspond with the 1.5 X as powerful notion?
Shade West 06-02-04, 09:15 PM	Sorry, didn't finish reading the original thread.
fish_heads 06-03-04, 01:21 AM	Perhaps you should have them "wait" a level. that is, give them an ECL that doesn't kick in until 2nd level. Gestalt Characters are functionally 1 level more powerful than non-gestalts. The problem then is that they're still more powerful than the rest of the group at level 1. One thing that I've seen frequently in games is that Gestalt players are limited in number and selection of prestige classes. Just have them get everything pre-approved, and if you think something will put them too far ahead, don't let them do it. Realistically though, if you have a party that you want at 1st level, and you feel that a GEstalt class would require re-balancing, perhaps it's best if you don't allow it.
roll8dn 06-03-04, 03:59 PM	Modifying the ECL of gestalt characters as compared to the base classes represented in the Player's Handbook is one of the most difficult questions about allowing them. The way that my DM handles it is he just raises the encounter level of the monsters that we are likely to meet by 2. Thus, even though we are playing with uber-powered characters on paper, we face challenges that are equivelent (sp?) to what a normal character would face (just like it suggests in UA). I honestly don't believe that there is a good, simple way of calculating the difference in abilities from a gestalt to a normal character. The ECL+2 idea seems to work. Every other level that a normal character would advance, the gestalt character advances. Now, as to whether this will work, I do not know; I haven't played a campaign that had both gestalt and regular characters. However, I do believe this to be the most effective way of keeping the classes balanced. To start a new campaign with gestalt characters, just have everyone start at level 2.