On Mul and ECL

[ThatOneGeneralGuy]

Forgive me for bringing this up, I do acknowledge my bias, however do hear me out. Mul was recently(ish) raised to ECL 2 and I think that may be going a hint overboard. Yes, true, a mul at level 15 or so is rather strong at ECL 1. Though I don't have the data on it, I don't imagine many muls ever reach ten or above, I believe I have seen an exception once or twice.

I agree that it at high level is strong for an ECL 1, however it is weak for an ECL 2 even at that level. If the issue with muls is the regen, then if significant numbers of muls are reaching it and it is an issue, I might suggest toning it down. Either keeping it at one or only bumping it to two.

I am spitballing here, these are just my thoughts as I do feel that extra level is not healthy for it, as I was personally struggling to level beforehand.

[remnar]

I think it's fine.

[zDark Shadowz]

ECL probably doesn't matter unless you are aiming for 19-20, once you've found the level you want to stop at... you just stop and roleplay... but that digression is a different argument. Probably best not to go into that on my part.

I assume it's going off the dragon magazine #319 statistics, in which case it does say it's meant to be ECL+1.

As for comparisons between other ECL's, well, +2 STR and +4 CON is a fair bit compared to an Aasimar at +2 wisdom +2 charisma and tiefling at +2 dex/int -2 charisma... so there could be justification there in rebalancing it. The ECL for a Dark Sun character could be considered "wrong" for what this server is aspiring to, Dark Sun has some whack things and it's not like Dark Sun material was written with Ravenloft or Neverwinter Nights in mind.

The fast healing they get is uniquely potent, the thing that makes them them, like spell resistance and darkness casting on drow. I don't think the additional ECL is penalizing them for that, particularly, since it is only unlocked at a high level and by then, you should have casters in your party already providing you with extended and far more potent duration regeneration, and Combat Vigor is just dumping fighters with flat +5 regen as long as someone slaps them in parry mode...


~~~

Yeah I'd say it's just +2 ECL because of it being a +6 attribute score race. Drow is a +4 total race with spell resistance tacked on, ECL +2. Tanarukk has... All that. Attribute scores that equate to 0, but 6 points of which can be mostly ignored for physical combat, along with spell resistance and improved AC.

It probably warrants ECL +2, but compared to some other ECL +2 races it won't be the "best" ECL +2 race.

I'd honestly prefer it if it had remained at ECL +1 so people can explore Mul for what it is without feeling like the character that is meant to be the most hard working and physically sturdy of Athasian races that only requires HALF AS MUCH REST isn't.. ending up being the weakest of someones' group over time.

If any race is meant to never feel like they've reached "Blind Drive" it has to be this race. It's part of their staggering endurance that they would remain ECL +1 over ECL +2, a quality of the subrace itself.

[Derek Jeter]

The fast healing they get is uniquely potent, the thing that makes them them, like spell resistance and darkness casting on drow.

Yeah, those two can't compare to mul honestly as a 1 level away from max drow player, the SR onlu works half the time, is less than tanarukk and darkness is rarely used

I think Mul is fine though, no negatives, really good strength, busted perma healing.

[tylernwn]

Ecl 2 sounds appropriate. There are races with ECL 2 that don't have the Muls incredible stat bonuses, never mind the regeneration feature that they have at later levels. As far as I can tell, a Mul is an excellent fighter character.

[bloodless]

I don't think any race should be ECL 2 (God forbid 3) considering how dramatic of a pain that is in actual practice on this server. That said I am curious as to why this rebalancing took place - officially, not speculation.

[Anarcoplayba]

Another thing that I do not see people talking here is that it is not "only" the fact that the Mul give +6 atributes at no penalty. It is also that one of these atributes is Strenght, which is the rarest bonus on races and sub races.

[JustMonika]

I don't think any race should be ECL 2 (God forbid 3) considering how dramatic of a pain that is in actual practice on this server. That said I am curious as to why this rebalancing took place - officially, not speculation.

It was felt that the bonuses Mul gave were significantly stronger than those of the other ECL races, and sufficently strong that it warrented a shift to a higher ECL to be a better balenced subrace.

[HouseOfLament]

The +2 plays ok.  Mul is definitely powerful.  I successfully solo'd five wolves (one large) and later a wererat at level 2 in substandard Athasian gear.  My character was also capable in nearly all the crafts.