Just preordered the Player's Companion and am delighted to see that the Shaman has a Druid template already created. Saves me some trouble!
Have the build points for the standard ACKS classes been put up anywhere? I notice that some of them show up in the examples, but the Spellsword has two different builds:
In the Saving Throws and Magic Items section:
EXAMPLE: The standard elven spellsword was built with Hit Dice Value 1, Fighting Value 2, Elf Value 4.
In the Strongholds section:
EXAMPLE: The standard elven spellsword was built with Hit Dice Value 1, Fighting Value 2, Arcane Value 1, Elf Value 3.
And in the Elven Custom Classes section:
EXAMPLE: The standard elven spellsword is built with Hit Dice 1, Fighting Value 2, Arcane Value 1, Elf Value 3. The XP cost for level 2 is 500 + 1,000 + (625-125) + 2000, for a total of 4,000XP.
It looks like they come out to the same amount XP-wise, but for clarity's sake you probably want to pick one or the other for the examples.
Good catch on the elven spellsword.
Fighter: HD 2, Fighting 2
Thief: HD 0, Fighting 1, Thievery 3
Cleric: HD 1, Fighting 1, Divine 2
Mage: Arcane 4
Assassin: HD 1, Fighting 2, Thievery 1
Bladedancer: HD 1, Fighting 1 (2 trade offs), Divine 2
Explorer: HD 1, Fighting 2 (2 trade offs), Thievery 1 [I think - working from memory here]
Most of the core class builds were very simple. The PC class builds are way more complex and esoteric.
The Bard seems to be HD 1, Fighting 1, Thievery 2, but has the Fighting Value 2+ Stronghold and related power as a Judge's call?
The other rulebook classes appear to be:
Dwarven Vaultguard: HD 2, Fighting 2, Dwarf 0
Dwarven Craftpriest: HD 1, Fighting 1, Divine 2, Dwarf 3
Elven Spellsword: HD 1, Fighting 2, Elf 4
Elven Nightblade: HD 1, Fighting 1, Thievery 2, Elf 2
Barbarian: HD 2, Fighting 2, 4 tradeoffs
Dwarven Delver: HD 1, Fighting 1, Thievery 2, Dwarf 2
Dwarven Machinist: HD 1, Fighting 1, Thievery 2, Dwarf 3, 1 tradeoff
Elven Enchanter: HD 0, Fighting 0, Thievery 1, Arcane 2, Elf 2
Elven Ranger: HD 1, Fighting 2, Thievery 1, 3 tradeoffs
Mystic: HD 1, Fighting 2, Thievery 1, 5 tradeoffs
Paladin: HD 1, Fightin g2, Thievery 1, 1 tradeoff
Priestess: HD 0, Divine 4
Shaman: HD 1, Fighting 1, Divine 2, 4 tradeoffs
Warlock: HD 0, Thievery 1, Arcane 3, 1 tradeoff
Dwarven Fury: HD 2, Fighting 2 (6 tradeoffs), Dwarf 0
Elven Courtier: HD 1, Fighting 1 (1 tradeoff), Thievery 1, Arcane 1, (High) Elf 1
Gnomish Trickster: HD 0, Fighting 1 (2 tradeoffs), Gnome 4
Thrassian Gladiator: HD 2, Fighting 2, Thrassian 2
Witch: HD 0, Divine 4, 4 tradeoffs
"Witch: HD 0, Divine 4, 4 tradeoffs"
Looking at the Divine tradeoffs…Turn Undead doesn't obviously get any better at Divine 3 or 4. Why do you get more out of giving it up? Is it the opportunity cost of not having HD or Fighting to back you up?
Exactly. When you take Divine 3 or Divine 4, you aren't just paying more XP for divine casting, you're giving up the opportunity to take HD, fighting, thievery, or arcane.
The "hard cap" of 4 build points is hugely impactful on class balance.