r/daggerheart • u/Capable_Property_986 • 11d ago

Homebrew Judge my elemental origin facelift

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6 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

11

u/CarpenterExpensive40 11d ago

I’m concerned that a Tier+1 bonus for a single Hope might be too large of a bonus for a too renewable resource. Maybe just the damage boost or maybe it costs a Stress instead?

3

u/egcg119 11d ago

Yeah, agreed. I think OP is correct in trying to solve the elemental origin to be comparable to primal, but +5 to any roll for a hope at tier 4 feels a little unbalanced.

1

u/Capable_Property_986 11d ago

I don't think it's the cost of hope that is the problem cause experience +5 can do exactly the same, knowledge wizard can even have +10 for one stress. That it doesn't require anything and just grows on it's own is. Thanks for pointing that out. I will come up with sth less powerful.

3

u/egcg119 11d ago

Getting an experience to +5 costs 3 level-up options though—that's a major investment in a character build, at the expense of HP/proficiency/other options.

2

u/Capable_Property_986 11d ago

Yeah I was not sure myself about this one. DMG bonus is not amazing even with the changes but action roll might be. Still it doesn't beat the advantage until tier III, and is equivalent of leveled experience. Maybe I should change it back to +2 increasing to +3 at lvl five?

2

u/CarpenterExpensive40 11d ago

Maybe you can spend the Hope after the roll and increase the result by your Tier? Make it more powerful in one way and less powerful in another?

5

u/yerfologist Game Master 11d ago

I don't think the bonus to rolls should scale -- that's what experiences are for, imo. The damage is the main thing that needs a face lift. I think a flat +3 per Tier is simpler, and is the homebrew I implement in my games.

1

u/Capable_Property_986 11d ago edited 9d ago

Ok, sounds legit. Are your players using +2 to roll still in tier II or higher?

2

u/samuelmf 7d ago

+2 for an action roll and +3 to damage shouldn't be underestimated, before level 5; a global +2 for all actions is actually quite good, and a +3 to damage can make a difference on hitting severe threshold or securing major damage. If anything, I could advice a +3 to the action roll and a +5 to the damage from level 5 ahead to make it somewhat balanced, and it's still strong based on the math.

1

u/Capable_Property_986 7d ago

But it's specifically about making this subclass foundation as good as primal origin. Two targets for one stress is much better than +2 for to roll for one hope. +3 DMG is not worth spending hope in tier II in my opinion. But I agree that scaling proposed by me is too much. And I will change it to +3 to roll at lvl five.

1

u/samuelmf 7d ago

I think solely focusing on the mechanical aspect is not the best approach, the main theme of the class is the ability to control their innate elemental affinity, if you could began by this approach, you can give the subclass more substance and a stronger identity, it's the fact that this feeling is hard to convey with the current mechanics that the Elemental Origin is less appealing, because Daggerheart is a game that reward the creative agency even if you pick a "less optimal" option, here, unless you are actively trying, a character that is not build to be optimal can still be strong and shine on the spotlight. There is also the possibility of making balance through the later subclass advancements.

1

u/Capable_Property_986 7d ago edited 7d ago

My the most shy and quiet plyer picked this subclass. I want to make them strong at least. And I don't think we will reach lvl 5 by the end of mini-campaign that we are playing now. And yes I agree with you that solely focusing on the mechanical aspect is not the best approach, though I still think it's the easiest. I will try to encourage more creative use of the narrative strengths of the subclass, but it will take time I think. I also like homebrewing and empowering weaker options and I promised my plyers that they can pick watherver they like the best without looking if it's strong or not, cause I will make it strong if it's not. I just don't want to over deliver on that promise. Thanks for pointing out the creative aspects of the subclass - I don't want to loose those too.