Elite PCs - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Elite PCs

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
misterfido_dup
Dec 07, 2008 0:13:27 I often play with small groups of two or three players, because usually not everyone can show up. So I was thinking of the following house rule:

Elite Players Characters
Each player applies a template to their character, effectively becoming capable of handling twice as many enemy combatants as normal.
* Characters start with twice as many hit points at 1st level, not including their Constitution score. They gain twice as many hit points as they level up. For instance, a 4th level fighter with 16 Constitution has 82 hit points (30 base + 16 Constitution + 12 x 3 levels).
* Characters increase their defenses and attack rolls by 2 each.
* Characters can select two encounter attack powers instead of one at each appropriate level.
* Characters have a +2 bonus to all saving throws.
* Characters have their action points reset to 1 at each short rest.
* Characters can use any of their 1st-level at-will attack powers twice during a single standard action (for instance, a wizard can cast two magic missiles in a standard action, but he can't cast magic missile and scorching burst in the same action).

In terms of experience and treasure, players modified under this system earn half the normal amount of experience, and treasure is determined by the number of characters in the party, as normal.

* * * *

As an alternative, I was sort of interested in a second house rule, for those of us who can only run solo campaigns.

Solo Players Character
The player of the campaign becomes a "solo" character, as easily able to dispatch five monsters of an equivalent level as a group of five normal characters.
* The character has five times his normal hit points, including his Constitution score.
* Increase his defenses and attack rolls by 2 each.
* The character can select two encounter attack powers instead of one at each appropriate level.
* He gains a +5 bonus to his saving throws.
* The character regains 1 action point at each short rest. He regenerates this action point if bloodied.
* The character may select an encounter power to be usable at-will. This replaces an at-will power.
* The character has two standard actions each round, in addition to his move action and minor action, and any actions provided by action points.

In terms of experience and treasure, players modified under this system earn only 20% the normal amount of experience, and only treasure for one character.

* * * *

So anyway, what do people think? I know that the concept of solo/elite players definitely has its uses amongst smaller crowds of PCs/DMs, but is it overpowered? Underpowered? I obviously based it off monster elite/solo rules, but tweaked to be generic, not require GM interference, and actually able to handle those fully-built encounters levels 1 to 30.
#2
lumovanis
Dec 07, 2008 2:13:32 While solo templates may be neat... with the kinda people I play with there would be very little that could challenge them that wouldn't outright kill them. Though I have been looking at letting a player in a solo campaign take an elite template that wouldn't be TOO ridiculous for whatever class/race they may roll.

Letting players min/max with templates opens a whole new mess of balance issues, tread carefully.

I have the same problem as you, often getting only 2 or 3 players in a group. The challenge lies in balancing encounters around them rather then them around the encounters if that makes any sense. Yea, you won't be throwing any high power baddies at them, but I've found they can handle mobs that are around 2-3 levels lower then themselves using the exp target of a slightly lower leveled party. It is a challenge balancing the encounters, but at the end of the day if my players don't feel challenged, there's always more monsters.
#3
CaptainPicard
Dec 07, 2008 6:41:11 I've tried the solo PC before. It wound up with the player being mobbed by enough monsters who would gain advantages off each other that the PC could not take five of them. Three seemed to be the number where, beyond that, things got dicey unless the monsters don't work well together.
#4
aluman
Dec 07, 2008 12:33:40 An easier way to handle solo PCs is to allow them access to special healing surge power that grants normal HS+1d6 2/encounter for a minor action (to replace the leader healing), and allow dailies to recharge on a roll of 6 and encounters to recharge on 5,6.

I haven't added this yet, but due to the number of times the solo PC gets bloodied, I am thinking of Con modifier HP each level as well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 misterfido_dup Dec 07, 2008 0:13:27	I often play with small groups of two or three players, because usually not everyone can show up. So I was thinking of the following house rule: Elite Players Characters Each player applies a template to their character, effectively becoming capable of handling twice as many enemy combatants as normal. * Characters start with twice as many hit points at 1st level, not including their Constitution score. They gain twice as many hit points as they level up. For instance, a 4th level fighter with 16 Constitution has 82 hit points (30 base + 16 Constitution + 12 x 3 levels). * Characters increase their defenses and attack rolls by 2 each. * Characters can select two encounter attack powers instead of one at each appropriate level. * Characters have a +2 bonus to all saving throws. * Characters have their action points reset to 1 at each short rest. * Characters can use any of their 1st-level at-will attack powers twice during a single standard action (for instance, a wizard can cast two magic missiles in a standard action, but he can't cast magic missile and scorching burst in the same action). In terms of experience and treasure, players modified under this system earn half the normal amount of experience, and treasure is determined by the number of characters in the party, as normal. * * * * As an alternative, I was sort of interested in a second house rule, for those of us who can only run solo campaigns. Solo Players Character The player of the campaign becomes a "solo" character, as easily able to dispatch five monsters of an equivalent level as a group of five normal characters. * The character has five times his normal hit points, including his Constitution score. * Increase his defenses and attack rolls by 2 each. * The character can select two encounter attack powers instead of one at each appropriate level. * He gains a +5 bonus to his saving throws. * The character regains 1 action point at each short rest. He regenerates this action point if bloodied. * The character may select an encounter power to be usable at-will. This replaces an at-will power. * The character has two standard actions each round, in addition to his move action and minor action, and any actions provided by action points. In terms of experience and treasure, players modified under this system earn only 20% the normal amount of experience, and only treasure for one character. * * * * So anyway, what do people think? I know that the concept of solo/elite players definitely has its uses amongst smaller crowds of PCs/DMs, but is it overpowered? Underpowered? I obviously based it off monster elite/solo rules, but tweaked to be generic, not require GM interference, and actually able to handle those fully-built encounters levels 1 to 30.
#2 lumovanis Dec 07, 2008 2:13:32	While solo templates may be neat... with the kinda people I play with there would be very little that could challenge them that wouldn't outright kill them. Though I have been looking at letting a player in a solo campaign take an elite template that wouldn't be TOO ridiculous for whatever class/race they may roll. Letting players min/max with templates opens a whole new mess of balance issues, tread carefully. I have the same problem as you, often getting only 2 or 3 players in a group. The challenge lies in balancing encounters around them rather then them around the encounters if that makes any sense. Yea, you won't be throwing any high power baddies at them, but I've found they can handle mobs that are around 2-3 levels lower then themselves using the exp target of a slightly lower leveled party. It is a challenge balancing the encounters, but at the end of the day if my players don't feel challenged, there's always more monsters.
#3 CaptainPicard Dec 07, 2008 6:41:11	I've tried the solo PC before. It wound up with the player being mobbed by enough monsters who would gain advantages off each other that the PC could not take five of them. Three seemed to be the number where, beyond that, things got dicey unless the monsters don't work well together.
#4 aluman Dec 07, 2008 12:33:40	An easier way to handle solo PCs is to allow them access to special healing surge power that grants normal HS+1d6 2/encounter for a minor action (to replace the leader healing), and allow dailies to recharge on a roll of 6 and encounters to recharge on 5,6. I haven't added this yet, but due to the number of times the solo PC gets bloodied, I am thinking of Con modifier HP each level as well.