Hi everyone, I'm looking for some help on how to homebrew the transformations from the grim hollow setting for a dnd campaign that I will be doing soon. In preparation I read through the grim hollow book and really liked the different transformations, but it seems like in the book it would be in addition to your class and everything. Me and my dm definitely think that would be too powerful, so I'm trying to come up with ways to bring it in line but still be going through that transformation and I was hoping for advice on how to make it balanced but fun.
My first idea was for the transformations to be a subclass. Like choosing to play fighter and at level 3 I would choose my subclass, that being the first transformation level for the vampire or aberrant horror. And then it would progress like a normal fighter subclass would, level 3, 7, etc., giving me the next transformation level each time. On paper i think it would be balanced, though it does depend on the specific transformation. Like the aberrant horrors first level basically just gives you 1d6 on your unarmed strikes and some extra ac and that's it, but compared to the vampires first transformation level its much weaker (to me). Me and my dm can fine tune each transformation separately, but my main worry is that they would be kinda bland. Not all of the transformations for sure, but the ones I'm interested in feel like level dips into another class almost. If i chose to play fighter and wanted to be a lycanthrope, it feels like I just took a level dip in barbarian, getting similar features. If i was a warlock and wanted to be an aberrant horror, its similar to monk, buffing up my unarmed strikes. And while this is fine, to me it lacks that pizazz that you generally get from a subclass, like an echo knight teleporting around or something.
So i thought maybe instead of being a full subclass each transformation level could instead be a feat. So at level 4 instead of taking great weapon master I would take the first transformation level from one of the transformations. That way I get the pizzaz from my subclass but can still be transforming. My dm has green lit this idea but I feel like it might still be too powerful for a normal table. I also get that these transformations aren't really balanced outside of a grim hollow setting, being stronger than your average table but my dm is ok with it and I want to try to make it work regardless.
Any advice is helpful, so thank you if you have some insight or maybe know of a way to homebrew this that makes it fun but still balanced.
Losing your subclass for the transformation would really hurt any character concept that relies on the subclass. In other words, almost all of them. There's also the issue of disparity in subclass levels. Some classes would get their next transformation feature at level 6, but rogues have to wait until level 9. And Bards only get subclass features at three levels.
Personally, I think you should just realize that one character having some really fun abilities is cool, even if they're slightly overpowered. Perfect balance is not essential to have a good time.
Hmm I didn't even think about the different classes progressing at different levels. You think the feat route might be better then even if it ends up being more powerful? I'm open to alternatives this is just what I've come up with so far. Worst case we can play around with the numbers to bring it in line if it starts overshadowing everyone else.
Hi everyone, I'm looking for some help on how to homebrew the transformations from the grim hollow setting for a dnd campaign that I will be doing soon. In preparation I read through the grim hollow book and really liked the different transformations, but it seems like in the book it would be in addition to your class and everything. Me and my dm definitely think that would be too powerful, so I'm trying to come up with ways to bring it in line but still be going through that transformation and I was hoping for advice on how to make it balanced but fun.
My first idea was for the transformations to be a subclass. Like choosing to play fighter and at level 3 I would choose my subclass, that being the first transformation level for the vampire or aberrant horror. And then it would progress like a normal fighter subclass would, level 3, 7, etc., giving me the next transformation level each time. On paper i think it would be balanced, though it does depend on the specific transformation. Like the aberrant horrors first level basically just gives you 1d6 on your unarmed strikes and some extra ac and that's it, but compared to the vampires first transformation level its much weaker (to me). Me and my dm can fine tune each transformation separately, but my main worry is that they would be kinda bland. Not all of the transformations for sure, but the ones I'm interested in feel like level dips into another class almost. If i chose to play fighter and wanted to be a lycanthrope, it feels like I just took a level dip in barbarian, getting similar features. If i was a warlock and wanted to be an aberrant horror, its similar to monk, buffing up my unarmed strikes. And while this is fine, to me it lacks that pizazz that you generally get from a subclass, like an echo knight teleporting around or something.
So i thought maybe instead of being a full subclass each transformation level could instead be a feat. So at level 4 instead of taking great weapon master I would take the first transformation level from one of the transformations. That way I get the pizzaz from my subclass but can still be transforming. My dm has green lit this idea but I feel like it might still be too powerful for a normal table. I also get that these transformations aren't really balanced outside of a grim hollow setting, being stronger than your average table but my dm is ok with it and I want to try to make it work regardless.
Any advice is helpful, so thank you if you have some insight or maybe know of a way to homebrew this that makes it fun but still balanced.
Losing your subclass for the transformation would really hurt any character concept that relies on the subclass. In other words, almost all of them. There's also the issue of disparity in subclass levels. Some classes would get their next transformation feature at level 6, but rogues have to wait until level 9. And Bards only get subclass features at three levels.
Personally, I think you should just realize that one character having some really fun abilities is cool, even if they're slightly overpowered. Perfect balance is not essential to have a good time.
Hmm I didn't even think about the different classes progressing at different levels. You think the feat route might be better then even if it ends up being more powerful? I'm open to alternatives this is just what I've come up with so far. Worst case we can play around with the numbers to bring it in line if it starts overshadowing everyone else.