ECL Calculation

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

* ECL is normally equal to class level (heroic characters are +1, professionals -1, and characters with NPC levels are also -1); so your elite 6th level fighter captain is ECL 6, while your professional 7th level expert adviser is only ECL 5.

The above is from Bjørn post on leadership.

I don't understand.

What is heroic characters? - Isn't Fighter a heroic class? - Shouldn't the elite captain mentioned in the example above be ECL 7?

What is the difference between professionals and NPC levels? - And how does this make the lvl 7 advisor ECL 5 and not just ECL 6?

Elaborate? 

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

EDIT: I take that back

elite 6th level fighter captain

6 level fighter, and that's it.
= ECL 6



7th level expert adviser (professional)

7th lvl
NPC levels -1
professional -1
= ECL 5


If the captain was a heroic character (by which I'm guessing PC) he'd be ECL 7.

That, of course, is my understanding of it.

[DM B]

Heroic characters gain the more favorable 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 10 ability spread, as opposed to the 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 of Elite characters. Heroic characters gain +1 skill point and 1 extra feat at first level. In the context of the game they are also...heroic...and so can hope to fare better when they adventure. Hence the +1 level adjustment.

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

AHHH!!

Yes, Of course, the stat array.

So Heroic is: 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 10 = +1 ECL modifier
Elite is: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 = 0 ECL modifier
Professional? is: 10 10 10 10 10 10? = -1 ECL modifier

And from there its:

Normal PC classes = +0 ECL
NPC classes (no domain action associated) = -1 ECL

What about Blood in this regard? - Thats not counted? - We certainly pay for it when hiring. Same for spells. Consistency?

Yes, yes, I am the puppy who keeps peeing on the carpet. So, neuter me.  *wag, wag*

[DM B]

The Bloodlines document has rules for bloodlines, level adjustments included.

How does spells relate to character generation?

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

Hire Help increases DDC if the character has access to magic. Meaning rangers, paladins, clerics, wizards, adepts etc. all cost a +5 modifier is it?

But their ECL is not changed, and their in game value is not changed either, from their spell access. So I suppose its my round-about way of mentioning that its a bit harsh that "access to magic" is the cost trigger and not just "yes, this character will be flinging realm-magic around".

A henchman has the following values, in a game sense:
Adventure participation = ECL value relevant
Lieutenant Actions Available = Class relevant, not ECL. You can get a lvl 1 and he performs nicely.
Realm Magic Available = Level most relevant, blood and access to magic required, but level, the oomph, is weighing most. Typically effective ECL goes out of this world.
AA = Level and Skill relevant, mostly skill

Also, from Brandon, I received this, which I think he got from the Scions handbook at the yahoo group.

Commoner:  10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
Professional:  13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8

So, for the sake of overview the table looks like this:

Heroic: 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 10 = +1 ECL modifier
Elite: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 = 0 ECL modifier
Professional:  13, 12, 10, 10, 10, 8= -1 ECL modifier
Commoner: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 = Never hired

EDIT: Corrected the Professional line. The table should now be correct.