Planescape Factions
Keep in mind my following intentions:
Faction classes, not prestige classes - I want certain 1st level characters to be able to join a faction. Faction class should not be compared to a prestige class. Very little prestige or experience should be required to enter a faction. However, I am considering adding requirements to inrease in levels. These would be based on initial requirement and would indicate that the character is advancing in ideology related to the faction.
Faction classes are to be balanced at all levels - I would like a 5th level sensate to be comparable to a 5th level fated. This is probably what I am having the most difficult with.
Faction abilities are to be based on faction class level, not character level. I hate the idea that a 13th level fighter could join a faction and have greater faction abilities than a 6th level rogue who has been with the faction all of his life.
Faction Classes should be worth taking and advancing. Therefore, a 10th level faction ability should be worth achieving.
Faction abilities should be related to the faction's ideas.
This is in no way meant to be a substitution for the work being done by planewalker.com or any materials from the planar handbook or manual of the planes. This is just what I prefer in my game. I welcome all input and opinions.
Since the requirements for all of these are so low (except the guvners), you may want to consider making them base classes and just doing away with the requisites or changing the requisites to something more meaningful. Even if you don't do that I have particular issue with a couple of the requisites.
Those with the Dustmen prestige class should be able to be good. A neutral good dustman probably has an easier time of things than a chaotic evil dustman, and IIRC the Dustmen didn't have any alignment restriction in 2e. I should put put out the disclaimer that I've removed the [evil] tag from Animate Dead in my game and changed the alignment of skeletons and zombies to "always neutral" instead of "always neutral evil" because they are mindless.
The requirements for the Guvners is exceedingly hard compared to the other factions. It requires at least 6 knowledge skills with ranks to be able to pass that test by the RAW (untrained knowledge tests can only hit DC 10, it should be up to DC 15), which means that no one but a wizard will have a chance at passing it before they reach (at least) middle levels unless they want to cripple their skill ranks in other areas. The abilities gained from it don't cancel out the loss of spell caster levels, so I really doubt that a PC would ever take more than a level or two. Adding in +1 existing caster level every few levels (probably not every level since it has so many other abilities) would make it palatable.
It seems like there are some balance issues on the first read through, but I didn't do a detailed enough reading for a solid analysis. I did think that the bleaker abilities (I read those better than others) probably should have a caster level=character level if you want them to be more potent than caster level=class level. As it stands a second level character could whip out a CL 11 touch of idiocy, which is minorly problematic.
I think in some cases changing these to 3- or 5-level prestige classes would be a good idea, even though you'll need to remove some of the abilities. The thing about faction prestige classes is that, IMO, they shouldn't describe what a character can do as completely as the difference between a fighter and a cleric, but should rather alter what they do in slight but significant ways like the difference between a cleric of Pelor and a cleric of Wee Jas.
Another though just occured to me as I wrote that. Perhaps the best way isn't to do a seperate class, but instead to do substitution levels. That way you can reasonably describe the differences between a doomguard fighter and a doomguard wizard without making 2 different PrC's in the same flavor vein.
Since the requirements for all of these are so low (except the guvners), you may want to consider making them base classes and just doing away with the requisites or changing the requisites to something more meaningful.
I want to keep requirements low, making a faction class less than a prestige class but more than a base class. I am not sure I understand the meaningful portion of this suggestion. I tried to make the prerquisites relevant to the factions ideas.
Those with the Dustmen prestige class should be able to be good. A neutral good dustman probably has an easier time of things than a chaotic evil dustman, and IIRC the Dustmen didn't have any alignment restriction in 2e. I should put put out the disclaimer that I've removed the [evil] tag from Animate Dead in my game and changed the alignment of skeletons and zombies to "always neutral" instead of "always neutral evil" because they are mindless.
Both of the points you raised here are good ideas. I am not sure why I decided to make the "non-good" requirement. I thought that I had read about it in one of the 2nd edition manuals. You are right, mindless undead should be neutral, or at least of the alignment of the creator.
The requirements for the Guvners is exceedingly hard compared to the other factions. It requires at least 6 knowledge skills with ranks to be able to pass that test by the RAW (untrained knowledge tests can only hit DC 10, it should be up to DC 15), which means that no one but a wizard will have a chance at passing it before they reach (at least) middle levels unless they want to cripple their skill ranks in other areas.
You are wrong (and a little right) about this one. A character could have have 1 rank in 6 skills for 12 skill points if all are cross class skills. Even a barbarian could meet these requirements. However, paladins, fighters, sorcerers and clerics could not join at 1st level. Whether or not a character "cripples" their other skills should not be considered. The class can still be easily entered those wishing to do so. The Guvners would want knowledgable people. Yet, I may lower the entrance requirements to DC10 and require 8 out of the 10 knowledge checks be passed. Do you think that is better?
I did think that the bleaker abilities (I read those better than others) probably should have a caster level=character level if you want them to be more potent than caster level=class level. As it stands a second level character could whip out a CL 11 touch of idiocy, which is minorly problematic.
I don't want faction abilities to be related to character level. But, perhaps having the effective character level equal to 2X faction level would be better. This has definitely given me something to consider for all classes.
I think in some cases changing these to 3- or 5-level prestige classes would be a good idea, even though you'll need to remove some of the abilities. The thing about faction prestige classes is that, IMO, they shouldn't describe what a character can do as completely as the difference between a fighter and a cleric, but should rather alter what they do in slight but significant ways like the difference between a cleric of Pelor and a cleric of Wee Jas.
I want all of the faction classes to be equal in level. This is one of the things that I did not like about the prestige classes presented in the Planar Handbook. Also, don't think of these as prestige classes. Consider them something different, more than a base class, less than a prestige class.
Please keep the ideas and comments coming. I really appreciate them.
I want to keep requirements low, making a faction class less than a prestige class but more than a base class. I am not sure I understand the meaningful portion of this suggestion. I tried to make the prerquisites relevant to the factions ideas.
By meaningful I meant that they would actually have to work to get to them, but you've taken a philosophical bent on these that is different than that of most PrC's, so I think that you should ignore that part if you don't want to make them either base classes or typical PrC's.
You are wrong (and a little right) about this one. A character could have have 1 rank in 6 skills for 12 skill points if all are cross class skills. Even a barbarian could meet these requirements. However, paladins, fighters, sorcerers and clerics could not join at 1st level. Whether or not a character "cripples" their other skills should not be considered. The class can still be easily entered those wishing to do so. The Guvners would want knowledgable people. Yet, I may lower the entrance requirements to DC10 and require 8 out of the 10 knowledge checks be passed. Do you think that is better?
I think the crippling of other skills should be considered if you want the classes to all be balanced against each other. All of the other ones can be entered at level 2 or 3 with relative ease and without significant impact on the character's ability to do what they typically do. I agree that the FoO would want to have knowledgable people, but perhaps you could just reduce the total number of tests and still require a high percent completion. Perhaps 5 tests of the more academic knowledge skills and have them need to complete 4 successfully completed at DC 15. That reduces the number of skill points needed to 8 bare minimum for someone who is cross-classing all of them, which is managable to clerics etc. by around level 3 if they have a good enough intelligence modifier to hit those 15's, around level 6 if they are a little lower. Perhaps you should go with knowledges (history, local, arcana, religion, the planes).
I think the crippling of other skills should be considered if you want the classes to all be balanced against each other. All of the other ones can be entered at level 2 or 3 with relative ease and without significant impact on the character's ability to do what they typically do. I agree that the FoO would want to have knowledgable people, but perhaps you could just reduce the total number of tests and still require a high percent completion. Perhaps 5 tests of the more academic knowledge skills and have them need to complete 4 successfully completed at DC 15. That reduces the number of skill points needed to 8 bare minimum for someone who is cross-classing all of them, which is managable to clerics etc. by around level 3 if they have a good enough intelligence modifier to hit those 15's, around level 6 if they are a little lower. Perhaps you should go with knowledges (history, local, arcana, religion, the planes).
I took some of your suggestions to mind and have altered the requirements. I think the one thing that I was forgetting was that with all of other faction classes, the "special" prerequisite was a game play tool, not mechanics. Thanks for the comments. anymore is appreciated.
"Harmonium Warrior," for example, might appeal to Paladins, Fighters, Rangers, Barbarians, Monks and a few special Rogues. Meanwhile, "Harmonium Agent" could work for most Rogues, Rangers and Monks. And "Harmonium Spellcaster" could cover the rest.
It's a lot more work, but if you lean toward a few basic faction abilities that are the same for each variant, you can pretty easily mass-produce enough options.