Autostill + Eldritch Knight

[chad878262]

Increase to d8hp.
Replace one (or both for the use there are) currently granted feats at lvl 1 with a pickable Bonus Feat (Per Pnp)
A damage feat (copy the one from AK/WoD, but make it magic damage only)

As Valefort indicated, it is unlikely we would give EK a Power boost. The Autostill change may help ease of leveling in the epics or may help players fit other epic feats they can't qualify for til later, but it doesn't change the end power level of the class. Giving them bonus damage would be a bigger change and the current feeling is that they don't need more power. Bonus Damage can come from taking IPA, Northern Hewing, Deadly Defense or mixing in a few Fighter levels for Weapon Specialization (usually at the cost of caster level dropping below 28). Fluff changes or things that add flavor, but no power are usually pretty quick and easy to talk through, but I don't see EK getting bonus feats or damage (but this is just my opinion and that can be inaccurate and/or changed!)

Realize that in no way am I saying that EK is OP or would be OP by granting bonus damage/feats. Everyone can agree they are nowhere near FvS/Divine Gish/Bard power level, but that is not what we balance to. The simple truth is that they are still in the upper echelon of survivable PvE characters that can solo most server content. While their damage can be low and frustrating, they also can generally sit back and tank almost anything on the server, slowly whittling down it's defenses without any worry of taking a trip to the fugue.

[Sun Wukong]

While their damage can be low and frustrating, they also can generally sit back and tank almost anything on the server, slowly whittling down it's defenses without any worry of taking a trip to the fugue.

And if that something doesn't have acid damage reduction or immunity, Acid Fog (Level 6) combined with Energy Immunity Acid (Level 7) allows you to stand within an AoE effect that deals 112~ damage in 15 rounds at level 30. 168~ if empowered. 192 if maximized. That in itself may not seem like a large amount of damage, but if you have gathered a mob of melee foes around you, this spell actually helps you take them out.

Another variant is the Cloudkill (Level 5) combined with Stone Body (Level 6). Cloudkill deals constitution damage if the foes are not immune to poison and ability damage. This can work far better than the above combination by potentially decreasing the monster's HP pool quite a bit.

You might even combine both if you got the slots, but usually one or the other should do just fine. Not to mention that since you are collecting a mob of monsters, you can actually make do with just a few stilled casts per day. The rest timer runs while you run around.



Anyhow, so no one has anything against hit dice of d8?

[Valefort]

EK has sense motive, lore local and lore nobility as class skills btw (the ones given in vanilla version are ofc still there, lore arcana included).

[chad878262]

And if that something doesn't have acid damage reduction or immunity, Acid Fog (Level 6) combined with Energy Immunity Acid (Level 7) allows you to stand within an AoE effect that deals 112~ damage in 15 rounds at level 30. 168~ if empowered. 192 if maximized. That in itself may not seem like a large amount of damage, but if you have gathered a mob of melee foes around you, this spell actually helps you take them out.

Another variant is the Cloudkill (Level 5) combined with Stone Body (Level 6). Cloudkill deals constitution damage if the foes are not immune to poison and ability damage. This can work far better than the above combination by potentially decreasing the monster's HP pool quite a bit.

Absolutely, one of many strategies for the Eldritch Knight... There are others too, such as the wall of fire/fire immunity that many caster/blaster mages use when grinding. Sneak attack EK's can summon a flanking partner whenever they want and there are many other ways to add to the damage output. This is all part of learning to play an EK, it's not all about your damage output from your sword, it's about mixing in your magic (for more than just buffing!) Good points Comments Only.

Anyhow, so no one has anything against hit dice of d8?

Doubt anyone has much against it, but I can't think of any reason for it either. As I said, EK is not likely to get any kind of power bump, even something so small as +20 HP for taking 10 class levels.