Pathfinder class hit dice increase

[Remmy]

Pathfinder, or D&D 3.75 as it is unofficially called by some of its community, is a game mechanics update along with an entirely new fantasy setting (which isn't applicable in regards to this suggestion, or our setting) created by Paizo Publishing, the former publishers of Dungeon and Dragon magazines. Created and released as Wizards of the Coast were shifting D&D from 3.5 to 4.0, it contained a number of rule and mechanics revisions to the base 3.5 product, expanding upon it rather than changing it entire. Some of these changes are not feasible in Neverwinter Nights, requiring far too much scripting and hak work, or are simply improbable, while others are within the realm of the possible. One such change I am presenting here: hit dice increases for select classes.

Simply put, Pathfinder altered class hit dice to go hand in hand with attack bonus progression (thank you Belladonna for pointing this out), making 1/2 provide d6 hit points per level, 3/4ths provide d8, and full AB progression provide d10, with the exception being Barbarian who still get d12. Outside of PrCs and the new Pathfinder base classes this, in effect, gave Sorcerers and Wizards a die upgrade from d4 to d6 while Rogues and Bards went from d6 to d8 and Rangers went from d8 to d10 (though base NWN already includes this, so no need to change)

With C/D maximizing HP on level up this would result in +2 HP per level for those four classes along with any PrCs that do not already meet those standards. With 10 levels in one of the classes that is an additional +20 HP to the health pool of certain low HP characters or +1-2 hits of survivability, outside of critical hits or certain high damage monsters. With NWN's higher monster count on average generally increasing damage taken I think this change is a warranted one, more so by the tendency for monster target selection to favor combinations of lower AC/HP values over warriors in the enemy's faces, or otherwise high damage characters slaughtering mobs (that, at least, is what I have been told by others).

Implementation and the mechanics of applying the change, beyond discussion over whether or not to do it, are where things get tricky. I do not know if hit dice for base classes are hard-coded, though I would hope not, if Rangers and Bards can have their skill points per level upped. The first level of a applicable class on character creation would require a LETO, I think, but other than that new characters would be just fine....

....while existing characters get more complicated. They would either have to undergo a complete relevel of all applicable class levels for the change, or undergo a LETO, which Bella tells me is not as simple as punching in a total HP value. You have to go in and edit each individual level up. granting +2 HP per applicable class level.

The first option spreads out the handling of this to the DMs, potentially resulting in a bit of a headache for DMs and perhaps require a full accounting of all those who have received relevels. The second puts it entirely in the hands of Bella, putting the implementation entirely on her shoulders as the handler of LETOs. It centralizes things but can potentially be overwhelming, as I have absolutely no idea how complicated the LETO program is in going to each individual level and giving +2 HP. Either option is a bit of a bummer, either for a group of people or a single person . There may be other options for implementation I have not considered.

With all that said... discuss discuss!

[Vincent07]

Nope.

[Remmy]

Well I might as well be the one to post this, then.