Talk:Extraordinary Mage (3.5e Feat)

Ratings

	Tarkisflux likes this article and rated it 3 of 4.
	The character level fix is a good one, and the idea that you get to advance additional class features is fun with this style of class. Since most mages are really focused, the ability to branch out via a feat is a very nice thing. I prefer the rogue level version, however, as it does a better job of retaining the primary abilities of the character, but both are good and get my "like" vote.

Tark's Rating Discussion

This discussion is referring to an outdated rating, preserved here in strikethrough: The character level fix is a good one, and the idea that you get to advance additional class features is kind of cool, but I think it goes too far here. You get a big pile of additional class features every 2 levels, the exact number of which depend on which mage classes are actually available in the game. Stitching together two classes in this fashion I could see, but N classes without even having to take levels in them is not something I would ever recommend or use.

Yeah, I guess so, although I would think that most of the class features a mage class gets at level 6 would be nothing special to a Wizard-level character at level 12. Would it be better to just do a straight gestalt of two or three mage classes instead? --Foxwarrior 18:54, 1 January 2012 (UTC)

Yeah, I think it would be better to do a sort of gestalt. An extra class with all abilities up to Char Level -3 or two extra classes with abilities up to Char Level -5 would make me happier. It retains your primary theme and staggers abilities far enough behind that even if you had another mage in the party you're not getting in on their stuff in a meaningful way at low levels. That said, I don't actually think it's a "bad" feat or needs any reworking, not mechanically anyway. I'd have tried to get it fixed instead of posting a dislike on it (or tagged it with a WC or whatever) if I thought it needed tweaking. I don't think the power level is weird even. I just don't like the feat. I'll write a bit more about why I feel that way in a sec, but if you're happy with it write off my opinion as one of those "can't please everyone" things and call it a day.

My problem with it (aside from my general hate for multiclass feats) is that you get more or less out of it depending on which mage classes your DM has elected to use in game / setting. For example, you don't have Snowsoul (3.5e Class) or Windseeker (3.5e Class) in your list, but they're on the wiki and would add an extra set of abilities to an already large list if they're in game. In a game with a full set of mage classes to select from, you'd get 8-16 new abilities every even level on top of your regularly scheduled class abilities. Which is a lot to remember and track, even if the abilities aren't necessarily things you care about every day. It's slightly worse at low level, where you get abilities not too far after any other mages in the party would get them and muscle in on their shtick as a result. Which is my other complaint, one not mentioned in there explicitly - this is a huge dilution of character theme early on because most of your abilities are near level appropriate and coming from other classes. Some people are ok with this sort of thing, I'm not one of them. - Tarkisflux ^Talk 08:55, 2 January 2012 (UTC)