Themes, revisited

[twilsemail]

Themes have been presented in two sources at this point and their inclusion in L4W is up for discussion. Let's get to it, here.

The two styles and a brief description follow.

Dark Sun - Almost universally these themes grant one encounter attack power for free at first level, one or two grant utilities. A rare few grant a secondary benefit (skill training, extra Power point, etc.). Each theme presents one power swap option for each level between 2 and 10. Each theme has a handful of feats that augment their granted power (ex. making a mark "Save Ends" as opposed to EONT).

Dragon 399 - Most provide an Encounter attack power or something comparable at first level, a few grant utilities. Several grant a secondary benefit. Afterwards, PCs gain secondary benefits at 5th and 10th levels. and have optional Utility powers at 2nd, 6th and 10th levels. No feats have been provided thus far.

That's all I'm tossing in at the moment, except to say that as more articles were released, the D399 themes and their structure grew on me. I do not think it would be difficult to flesh out 3-4 (or more) of these themes for L4W to supplement those presented in the magazine.

 

[renau1g]

I do think there are a few outliers, mostly in the first batch with Order Adept and Animal Master being the worst offenders at each extreme (free minion killer encounter power, +2 to many classes lowest defense (will) and access to arguably the best utility powers in the game from the Wizard (shield, illusory wall, etc) from Order Adept) and I'm still not keen on the ones that grant the free level 6 magic item... I do prefer this Theme structure to the one from Dark Sun

 

[ScorpiusRisk]

I dislike the new theme structure. They seem to grant far more for free than the previous themes.

 

[Mewness]

I haven't actually looked at the new themes, but I didn't like the old ones much. At least in my experience, they don't add much flavor: of the five characters in the Dark Sun game I play in, one has a theme that he has never used (I have no idea what it is); two have themes that were chosen because they were the most vaguely useful things available that didn't clash horribly with the character concepts; one (me) has a theme that ought to suit the character but doesn't actually grant appropriate abilities; and the last has a theme (primal guardian) that suits the character to a tee, but doesn't bestow any flavor that he doesn't already have from being a warden.

I could really do without themes. I don't like power creep, and I don't see themes being much else.

 

[covaithe]

I'm kind of meh on the topic myself. Dunno. Will keep reading.

 

[modus666]

i love themes. when you really get down to it the inclusion of an additional encounter power does not really affect the power level of the party overmuch. its the same reason why power - regaining abilities are usually passed over. so adding some additional specific flavor to a character based on their background is nothing especially once you get past heroic and into paragon

 

[Voda Vosa]

*Sheng enters the moisty door of the dark place where the elders were discussing a pressing matter in the Clan's plans. Suddenly, he moves like lightning, approaches one of he sitting elders, and breaks his neck. Uncovering his hood, he reveals that it was a Spam*

Reported.

 

[Pentius]

I'd be pro themes, if there were a default one.

 

[Neil1889]

I'd be pro themes, if there were a default one.

What, like this, Adventurer or something like that? Absolutely agree.

Personally, I don't have access to the themes offically released, so some more suitable for the game world would be appreciated if a format can be agreed upon and hopefully have them stashed in the Wiki or in a locked thread.

For what it's worth, the start of the conversation in Disccusion Thread V brought ideas that look worth developing from ScorpiusRisk, if a set format can be tied-up.

Stonegod resurrected CaBaNa's ideas in the Proposal/Discussion Allow Themes thread and Luinnar came up with a couple.

 

[twilsemail]

As long as granting Roles and Power Sources is avoided like the plague, I'm more than happy to see more themes come into the game.