Nierite wrote:
The more I think of it, the more I think I've figured out why I don't like the Expert archetype:
It breaks the game.
Not 'breaks' as in makes the game unplayable, but breaks the game balance in that every archetype should be balanced. Personally, I think Martial, Divine, and Arcane are reasonably balanced to each other<snip>
There are multiple ways to improve the game balance of each of the Archetypes. In all cases it boils down to ensuring that there is enough special foo of whatever type to entice people to play it over other build choices. Adding the option to select 2 Martial Techniques as an advancement option brought the Martial more into parity with the other archetypes. That advancement option makes it harder for a non-Martial character to keep up. Not impossible as I described in another thread, but harder. And that's an option that goes past character creation. Both of the key extra Arcane and Divine advancements are skills based limiting their usefulness over the Expert's focused advancements.
If the Arcane archetype granted access to a Talent - tiered or base that made casting with subtlety easier, that would be significant if only they could get it. As another example it could be that with a given tiered talent, it's no longer Limited if you're archetype X, but it remains Limited requiring additional Paths for further progression or to unlock the Unlimited version.
Perhaps it's slightly different. Perhaps each Archetype gets 1 or a choice of a few Tiered talents that they automatically gain the benefit of as they go up in Tier without expending a Talent to get it. Something like this would grant effectively 4 extra talents over a character's lifetime, so overall balance would need to be reviewed. I'd also put requirements in similar to weapon tricks that you must still meet certain criteria in order to access that next tier. I realize that this is what the choose any 2 (Skill, Combat, Arcane, Devout) talents are intended to do. Perhaps that just gets emphasized a bit more or it becomes 3 talents instead of 2.
Otherwise make requirements for Paths or Talents something that play more specifically to the strengths of the Archetype. It could even be as generic as Prestidigitation, ASC II and 3 other Arcane Talents. Possible for a non-Arcane archetype to get, but more challenging.
Just some thoughts.
With a sweep of his hat,
Paul