Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 pan2uriel Mar 17, 2010 18:22:54	I'm hoping to be able to get a game off the ground soon, but it's highly likely that I'll only have 3 players. A dragonborn fighter, a warforged artificer, and a halfling either rogue or sorcerer. Adjusting encounters and modules for 3 characters leaves many of them feeling empty or gutless (and isn't as trivial as one might like - and I'm lazy). I had an idea today, but haven't thought through all the details and implications yet. Add a hybrid class to each of the existing characters. They'd have the full powers of the primary class, and in addition, half the powers for another class. Each character would be more versatile and tougher (assuming I give them the extra HP), but they wouldn't have the number of actions per round of a party of 5 (or 4.5). Perhaps add in an NPC (with just 1 class) to round it out. Actually, it gets difficult working out when they should get access to new encounter/daily powers etc. Perhaps I'd be better off giving them all a bonus multi-class feat. edit: If I weren't at work, I'd try to sketch out in more detail how this might work. A table for when you get powers etc. Might do that when I get home. But suggestions for how it could be made to work are welcome.
#2 ekio Mar 17, 2010 19:26:43	That's a damn interesting concept if anything. I have no real idea how it'd play out though. **** it, go for it. Can't hurt to try.
#3 759mages Mar 18, 2010 1:55:49	Hmm...it's intriging...I'm not 100% sure I understand how these hybrid powers would work though. Oh. You said that was a difficulty your were having. Give them additional HP per level like they had the hybrid class, rounded down. Hmm. As for powers...I'd say they gain their powers at levels divisible by three maybe? So, they get an encounter power at levels 3, 13, 23; a utility at 6, 16, 26; and a daily at 9, 19, and 29. You have the armor proficiencies of your base class(es) but the weapon/implement/focus proficiencies of all of your classes, including hybrids. At least, I think that's how I'd do it. Keep us posted on what you're doing with it and how it works.
#4 rampant Mar 18, 2010 3:46:18	Another option, and one you might want to be careful with, is to create Companion characters to fill out the party, they're in the DMG 2. Simply allowing them to recruit mercs or monsters and then leveling those up with the party can work, as well.
#5 codemonkey1 Mar 18, 2010 10:50:24	Maybe you could give them extra action points to actually use their new powers, like 1 per encounter or something.
#6 warcolonel Mar 20, 2010 11:13:18	I've played where we give the PCs free multiclass feats and a extra at-will from their MC.  If I find out rules I'll let you know.
#7 Bihlbo Mar 20, 2010 20:48:49	Tacking on a hybrid class does seem very interesting. I'd call this the closest approximation of a 4e gestalt character I've seen. Brainstorming here, but how do you all think this would work for specifics? _________________ You are a more robust hybrid character. Instead of combining two hybrid classes, chose one class to be your primary class and another to be your hybrid class. Using all of the rules for creating a hybrid character, reference your hybrid class information, but reference your primary class non-hybrid information. Therefore you would gain all of the class features of your primary class and all of the class features of your hybrid class. You may still take the Hybrid Talent feat to gain a Hybrid Talent Option from your hybrid class, but not from the hybrid version of your primary class. You gain level 1 At-Will powers from your primary class as normal, and you also gain one level 1 At-Will power from your hybrid class. Additional powers are gained using the hybrid class rules. However, if you have at least two powers of the same category, no more than one of those powers may come from your hybrid class, but you are not forced to choose powers from your hybrid class. Additionally, each time you gain a Utility power you instead gain two. One must come from your primary class, and the other must not. If you later replace your Utility powers, a power from your primary class must be replaced with a power from your primary class, and a power not from your primary class cannot be replaced with a Utility power from your primary class.
#8 Bihlbo Mar 20, 2010 22:06:00	Using the details I laid out above, I made a Ranger/Warden: ====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ====== level 10 Human, Ranger/hybrid Warden Fighting Style: Two-Blade Fighting Style Ranger: Prime Shot Warden: Nature's Wrath (hybrid) Background: Geography - Desert (+2 to Nature) FINAL ABILITY SCORES Str 20, Con 10, Dex 15, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8. STARTING ABILITY SCORES Str 17, Con 10, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8. AC: 17 Fort: 22 Reflex: 19 Will: 20 (no armor or items) HP: 110 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 18 TRAINED SKILLS Acrobatics +12, Nature +15, Heal +13, Stealth +12, Perception +13, Endurance +10, Dungeoneering +13, Athletics +15, Intimidate +9 UNTRAINED SKILLS Arcana +5, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, History +5, Insight +8, Religion +5, Streetwise +4, Thievery +7 FEATS Human: Don't Count Me Out Level 1: Human Perseverance Level 2: Prime Strike Level 4: Twilight Training Level 6: Two-Weapon Fighting Level 8: Two-Weapon Defense Level 10: Martial Freedom POWERS Bonus At-Will Power: Marauder's Rush Ranger at-will 1: Careful Attack Ranger at-will 1: Twin Strike Ranger encounter 1: Two-Fanged Strike Warden daily 1: Form of the Relentless Panther Ranger utility 2: Begin the Hunt Warden utility 2: Guardian's Attack Warden encounter 3: Thundering Strike Ranger daily 5: Two-Wolf Pounce Ranger utility 6: Off-Hand Defense Warden utility 6: Sea Stride Ranger encounter 7: Sweeping Whirlwind Ranger daily 9: Caging Strike Ranger utility 10: Undaunted Stride Warden utility 10: Guardian Thorns