Re: CF: promotion ramps (Was: RE: CF: Long term experimental ideas)

[Mark Wedel <mwedel@scruznet.com>]

 First - how a player progesses as a monster needs to seriously be though out. 
For example, many of the more human races don't have a good progression method.

 For some monster races, getting additional powers may be the offset for the
fact they can not use most items. 

 Another note is don't just take the monster name.  We are never going to allow
someone to start play as a titan - or at least not with the current titan
abilities.  At best, most of these races will still start with only 10 or 20 hp
or whatever.

 That said, I think there are at least a few rules that will need to be
followed:

 1) The race in question must be reasonable for a player to start as.  I note
that a few may be interesting 'retirement' races.  You reach level 30 or
whatever, and you have the option of becoming an angel to serve your god (or
lich, or perhaps some others that can make some sense.)

 2) Each race that is added is going to need careful examination to see what
abilities/hp/restrictions and so on makes for a balance starting character.

 3) The type and powers gained by advancement (as well as frequency) will likely
be determined by #2 above.  A race that can use virtually no items (like the
beholder) probably deserves to gain hp and ac faster than something like and
ogre, which basically has all the same benefits as a human.

 4) With #3 above, the actual need for the different archetyps in progression
may not be needed.  Looking at the list, many do not make sense - it is
basically a change in race (goblins, orcs, and kobolds are definately different
races, and not different ages of one race).   Others may make more sense, like
the dragons or demons.  But the point is, depending on various factors, the
monster may not in fact need to morph.  For example, in the AD&D world, most of
the slimes/pudding just get bigger as they consume more stuff, so in game terms
that can be seen as more HP and more damage on the attacks, and not necessarily
a morph from a green slime to a black pudding.
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