Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 theferg Jul 15, 2008 2:56:43	Another twisted creation from D. S. Ferguson and Cornelia Jean Swiney. I know that Fourth Edition doesn't really have room for level adjustments (I mean seriously, how do doppelgangers NOT have level adjustments in this game), but while we're on all trying to rushing about with new ideas (or ways of keeping the old), here's a fresh one: First, a definition of Racial Addendum: This is an added set of qualities giving a level adjustment that any race can have. This is more a sort of prestige class for your race, but you have to take it before you can have class levels. They are not things that can be taught; you are born with them or develop them before you take class levels. I say again, any race can have a racial addendum. With that definition behind me, here's what we have come up with: The Misreel Racial Addendum Level Adjustment: +1 Gameplay Information: +2 Insight Bonus to Reflex defense +2 Insight Bonus to Armor Class +2 Insight Bonus to Initiative rolls +1 Insight Bonus to Attack rolls Uncanny Dodge -2 to Diplomacy Description: Misreels are freaks, not of nature, but of time. Their knowledge of the immediate future does not come from precognition; rather they simultaneously occupy both the present and a fraction of a second in the future. Observations of a Misreel are somewhat unnerving, as their quicker movements are both seen and not seen; their actions are registered by the onlooker's subconscious, but tend not to be actually observed. This renders Misreels somewhat unpalatable to teporally normal people, as their appearance is quite unsettling. The causes of the temporal disjunction surround the Misreel are unknown, and may be varied. For example, as they drink, they at times seem to both inhale and swallow at the same time, normally an impossibility. Additionally, their mouths may appear to close even as their last utterance is still being heard. The observation of movements occasionally overlap in the mind of the onlooker, and the Misreel's actions may then appear magical, such as the placement of ink on a page ahead of the position of the pen. The above material is the intellectual property of D. S. Ferguson and Cornelia Jean Swiney and may not be reproduced without notarized authorization. This means you, WotC!
#2 wyld_mutation Jul 15, 2008 6:30:23	You left off any adjustments to speed and ability scores. So what you're saying is that you'd start as a Level one with no class?
#3 theferg Jul 16, 2008 3:32:43	That's because there wouldn't be any adjustments to those scores. This is not a race of a class; it's a concept we've called the Racial Addendum. It's identical to the races in 3.5e that had a level adjustment, except that a character of any race may be one. If your character is an Elven Misreel who has one level in Fighter, he has all the qualities of an Elf and a Misreel, but is counted as a level 2 character. He, however, would only have the abilities of a level one fighter. The Racial Addendum's Level Adjustment affects his total level (what they called an ECL in 3.5e), and would therefore affect everything that'one character levels dependent on level (like everything in 4.0e). Essentially, your character sacrifices his first level (and it has to be his first level) for these abilities. So, yes, I guess you're right. You would start off as a level one with no class. But the Racial Addendum (at least in this case) comes with no HD and therefore no hitpoints. Hence, what you're talking about is actually impossible. What we're talking about here is using this in a campaign where your character begins as something other than first level. In many cases, for example, your character dies (although much less often in 4th edition...), and it is necessary for you to make a new one because your party doesn't have the means to resurrect you (a rarety nowadays). If the party's advanced beyond first level, it would be terribly unfair for you to start there, especially if they're, say, 10th level by this time. In this case, you'd need to create a character higher than first level. In 3.5e, this meant a whole slew of options when it came to races other than those presented in the Player's Handbook. Many of these races came with Level Adjustments. If you were told to make up a 10th level character, and you chose a race with a +3 Level Adjustment, you could only have 7 character levels. (7 character levels + 3 Level Adjustment = Level 10.) We're trying to bring that back, as it seems terribly absent in 4th edition. For instance, doppelgangers in 4th edition are significantly more powerful than, say, any race in the Player's Handbook. Yet, they're placed at the same power level as any of the main races. If that's the case, why not play one all the time? 3.5e understood this and gave them a Level Adjustment to balance out their power with other races. Sort of like an Affirmative Action program for DnD.
#4 wyld_mutation Jul 16, 2008 7:37:35	Well I don't see what makes Doppelgangers so powerful in people's heads... But I get the idea now... I see said the blind man.
#5 theferg Jul 16, 2008 17:36:38	Well I don't see what makes Doppelgangers so powerful in people's heads... Um...they can completely change their appearance as a minor action, which, in the hands of pretty much any player, is more powerful than any ability any race in the Player's Handbook has.
#6 Ravinsild Jul 16, 2008 17:38:43	This is essentially a template.
#7 aluman Jul 16, 2008 18:16:12	I know that Fourth Edition doesn't really have room for level adjustments (I mean seriously, how do doppelgangers NOT have level adjustments in this game), but while we're on all trying to rushing about with new ideas (or ways of keeping the old), here's a fresh one: LA as a concept is ok under certain circumstances, the way it was done in 3E ruined non LA0 Casters, and in general LA+2 or higher wasn't worth the cost regardless of class (in my mind), the idea that wings was a +4LA was laughable as once everyone could fly, flight wasn't as a big thing. That aside, I will continue First, a definition of Racial Addendum: This is an added set of qualities giving a level adjustment that any race can have. This is more a sort of prestige class for your race, but you have to take it before you can have class levels. They are not things that can be taught; you are born with them or develop them before you take class levels. I say again, any race can have a racial addendum. Call it a Racial Template. Believe me Template is better then Addendum, people know what a Template is, Addendum isn't a term most in DnD associate with DnD With that definition behind me, here's what we have come up with: The Misreel Racial Addendum Level Adjustment: +1 Gameplay Information: +2 Insight Bonus to Reflex defense +2 Insight Bonus to Armor Class +2 Insight Bonus to Initiative rolls +1 Insight Bonus to Attack rolls Uncanny Dodge -2 to Diplomacy Insight is not a bonus type, types in 4e are dervied from source. Its Either Racial, Power, Feat, or Item. These should be Racial or untyped, this is essentially a +2 levels to reflex,armor,iniative Grants a paragon level feat and gives a -6levels (with a -2 levels to the rest) to a skill few use outside of skill challenges. And switches the equilivent gain of abilities to Odd instead of Even. The +2 assumes like in 3.0 your LA's mean I don't get the automatic boost on my even level, if it means with it, its essentially +4 levels onto Reflex, Armor Class and Iniative, and +2 levels to ATtack rolls, along with a PAragon Feat and -1 level to Diplomacy. Its over powered, imo. Description: Misreels are freaks, not of nature, but of time. Their knowledge of the immediate future does not come from precognition; rather they simultaneously occupy both the present and a fraction of a second in the future. Observations of a Misreel are somewhat unnerving, as their quicker movements are both seen and not seen; their actions are registered by the onlooker's subconscious, but tend not to be actually observed. This renders Misreels somewhat unpalatable to teporally normal people, as their appearance is quite unsettling. The causes of the temporal disjunction surround the Misreel are unknown, and may be varied. For example, as they drink, they at times seem to both inhale and swallow at the same time, normally an impossibility. Additionally, their mouths may appear to close even as their last utterance is still being heard. The observation of movements occasionally overlap in the mind of the onlooker, and the Misreel's actions may then appear magical, such as the placement of ink on a page ahead of the position of the pen. Flavor text seems fine (meaning nothing that jumps out as odd wording) The above material is the intellectual property of D. S. Ferguson and Cornelia Jean Swiney and may not be reproduced without notarized authorization. This means you, WotC! By agreeing to Terms and conditions as outlined before the post, you already have given them permission without needing your authorization. If you do not like this, do not post rules on their forum.
#8 wyld_mutation Jul 16, 2008 18:51:21	He means that he doesn't want WotC topublish it and make money. I get that changing shape can be a big thing, but since they can't change size, and they can't produce clothes it has little "spur of the moment" application.
#9 aluman Jul 16, 2008 19:28:40	He means that he doesn't want WotC topublish it and make money. Yeah you sign that right away too, they have rights to publish how ever they see fit. I will state blanketly though, it doesn't matter. Its unlikely that WotC will use anything in the House Rules section for any reason. I get that changing shape can be a big thing, but since they can't change size, and they can't produce clothes it has little "spur of the moment" application. I agree the doplleganger isn't overly powerful, unless you are allowing him to copy attributes, otherwise it takes planning and preparation.