|
3 years ago ::
Aug 16, 2010 - 7:47AM
#1
|
Date Joined:
Apr 23, 2005
|
Dragon 390
Winning Races: Eladrin,
Beyond the Spiral Tower
By Tim Eagon
To eladrin, arcane magic is Corellon’s supreme gift— an art epitomized by the venerable traditions of the swordmage and wizard. However, they are not the only ways of acquiring such power, and one can find representatives of the other arcane classes throughout eladrin society. In particular, artificers and warlocks stand out, though for very different reasons due to the attitudes of the prevailing arcane culture.
Discuss the article here:
|
|
|
|
3 years ago ::
Aug 16, 2010 - 8:10AM
#2
|
Date Joined:
Jan 14, 2006
|
I'm quite puzzled... As much as I loved Oasis of The Golden Peacock (and I'm even running it, although very sporadically with one group), I found this article to be mechanically out of place. Or better: OVERPOWERING.
The familiars, the (otherwise lovely) Coure in particular, are incredibly better than the ones presented in the Gloaming Fey article, which have their active benefits function only once per milestone, and in one case (my player's case, with the Moon Wisp familiar) the effect is just removing concealment penalties for 2 rounds in a small burst. The Coure is so powerful that my player got quite angry, because the Moon Wisp is far more adequate at a fluff level, but incredibly underpowered compared to the Coure.
I'm not asking for errata, but I also want to point out that the Warlock feats are ALSO very powerful, all of them. Especially because the requirements of the one that grants Fey Step instead of pact boon effect do not include the actual Pact Boon class feature, implying that even a rogue who just multiclassed into warlock would now have a beautiful surrogate of a pact boon.
The Artificer part seems ok.
|
|
|
|
3 years ago ::
Aug 16, 2010 - 8:30AM
#3
|
Date Joined:
Apr 23, 2005
|
I'm quite puzzled... As much as I loved Oasis of The Golden Peacock (and I'm even running it, although very sporadically with one group), I found this article to be mechanically out of place. Or better: OVERPOWERING.
The familiars, the (otherwise lovely) Coure in particular, are incredibly better than the ones presented in the Gloaming Fey article, which have their active benefits function only once per milestone, and in one case (my player's case, with the Moon Wisp familiar) the effect is just removing concealment penalties for 2 rounds in a small burst. The Coure is so powerful that my player got quite angry, because the Moon Wisp is far more adequate at a fluff level, but incredibly underpowered compared to the Coure.
I'm not asking for errata, but I also want to point out that the Warlock feats are ALSO very powerful, all of them. Especially because the requirements of the one that grants Fey Step instead of pact boon effect do not include the actual Pact Boon class feature, implying that even a rogue who just multiclassed into warlock would now have a beautiful surrogate of a pact boon.
The Artificer part seems ok.
The faerie dragonling and coure attendant were supposed to be paragon and epic tier familiars, respectively. I'm not sure why that was removed; it may have been an oversight. As for the Renewed by Blood feat, I see what your saying about the prerequisites, but the benefit has several conditions and makes it clear IMO that its a replacement for your pact boon benefit. However, I think it would be worth mentioning in any errata thread to see what the developers think.
|
|
|
|
3 years ago ::
Aug 16, 2010 - 10:37AM
#4
|
Date Joined:
Jan 14, 2006
|
I'm quite puzzled... As much as I loved Oasis of The Golden Peacock (and I'm even running it, although very sporadically with one group), I found this article to be mechanically out of place. Or better: OVERPOWERING.
The familiars, the (otherwise lovely) Coure in particular, are incredibly better than the ones presented in the Gloaming Fey article, which have their active benefits function only once per milestone, and in one case (my player's case, with the Moon Wisp familiar) the effect is just removing concealment penalties for 2 rounds in a small burst. The Coure is so powerful that my player got quite angry, because the Moon Wisp is far more adequate at a fluff level, but incredibly underpowered compared to the Coure.
I'm not asking for errata, but I also want to point out that the Warlock feats are ALSO very powerful, all of them. Especially because the requirements of the one that grants Fey Step instead of pact boon effect do not include the actual Pact Boon class feature, implying that even a rogue who just multiclassed into warlock would now have a beautiful surrogate of a pact boon.
The Artificer part seems ok.
The faerie dragonling and coure attendant were supposed to be paragon and epic tier familiars, respectively. I'm not sure why that was removed; it may have been an oversight. As for the Renewed by Blood feat, I see what your saying about the prerequisites, but the benefit has several conditions and makes it clear IMO that its a replacement for your pact boon benefit. However, I think it would be worth mentioning in any errata thread to see what the developers think.
Great to hear that! I hate to add to the problems, but even like this, Fiddling Grig seems more powerful than Faerie Dragonling, because it provides a constant benefit. It would need some more conditions (perhaps not every arcane power triggers the dance) or simply a swap: make the Faerie Dragonling Heroic and the Fiddling Grig Paragon.
Then I'd also like to point out that Gifted Death Dealer is also closer to Paragon than Heroic...
Apart from these power level concerns, I really love the article.
|
|
|
|
3 years ago ::
Aug 16, 2010 - 2:09PM
#5
|
|
|
I actually love the power level of the familiars listed and think that they should be used as the new standard for familiars. Most of the previous ones suck! 
|
|
|
|
3 years ago ::
Aug 16, 2010 - 3:04PM
#6
|
Date Joined:
Jun 26, 2008
|
Fiddling Gig is at-will immobilization until it is killed- there are many familiar build options that'll keep a familiar going even through focus fire. It should really be a once per encounter benefit or perhaps it only adds to daily powers. EDIT: I made an errata thread if you want to express your concerns there. community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...
|
|
|
|
3 years ago ::
Aug 16, 2010 - 5:01PM
#7
|
Date Joined:
Jul 25, 2007
|
Then I'd also like to point out that Gifted Death Dealer is also closer to Paragon than Heroic...
Apart from these power level concerns, I really love the article.
No, it isn't. Warlocks are supposed to be Strikers. They are supposed to do damage. It's about time the rules started reflecting that. And it's only for a single power.
|
|
|
|
3 years ago ::
Aug 17, 2010 - 11:04AM
#8
|
Date Joined:
Apr 27, 2006
|
agreed. damage-wise, warlocks not not at the top of the striker list. this feat helps, if only for a finite group.
eldritch blade compensates for eladrin not having a boost in the primary stat(s) for warlocks.
feywild propulsion is neat and thematically fitting.
the new familiars are great. i, too, want these to reflect a new standard for familiars.
|
|
|
|
3 years ago ::
Aug 18, 2010 - 5:56AM
#9
|
Date Joined:
Jun 26, 2008
|
Spending a feat to get an encounter utility power is already a very strong deal, and it's about on par with most old familiars. Please don't tell me you think At will immobilization (a status effect deliberately left off player @wills so far) added on top of all your powers is balanced.
|
|
|
|
3 years ago ::
Aug 18, 2010 - 6:54AM
#10
|
Date Joined:
Aug 17, 2007
|
Yeah, have to agree here. I can understand the others power level based on their theoretical place as Paragon and Epic familiars. But at-will immobilization is completely unacceptable, honestly, for heroic or otherwise. Defending it as acceptable because enemies will then just kill the familiar... there are too many ways around that, for clever players. It should absolutely be a 1/encounter ability, just like with most familiars.
I admit, this isn't hard to house rule in my own games. But I've spent long enough defending the current Dragon as being filled with balanced and reasonable options (as opposed to when it was in print), that it is always disappointing to see something like this crop up, and then actively be defended.
I love everything else about the article, but these power levels really need to be checked twice, and hopefully fixed in the compilation...
|
|
|
