Aasimar/Tiefling proficiencies

[the_limey]

I was browsing the NWN2Wiki the other day and was suprised to learn that under 3.5 rules Aasimars and Tiefling get the Simple and Martial weapon proficiencies for free.

Obviously this has been dropped from the final game, presumably for balance reasons, but I was wondering what Bansheeites thought about this? A good idea or just unfair?

In pnp the difference in average damage of a quaterstaff and greatsword is probably quite significant. But so is the +1 level adjustment. So things probably work out.

In NWN2 the opposite is true, the level adjustment means little and neither does a few points of damage. A cleric weilding a mace migth do an average of 3 points of damage per whack. A cleric wielding a warhammer might do 4. Not something to go crying to mummy about.

That said, there is a certain...glamour I suppose to being able to wield a hammer instead of a mace or a longsword rather than a dagger, and given the option of being able to use such weapons for free a player may not play anything else.

So, I don't know. Your opinions?

[Cyrinn]

I think that this should have been kept. Aasimars and Tieflings are not worth the level adjustment as they are IMO. Plus, those proficiencies will only be a bonus to some chars anyway, since most people will take classes that get these for free anyway.

I find that this would make the game more balanced, not less.

[Fljotsdale]

Hm. Yeah, it can be annoying, but not that much, really. I just make sure my chars are proficient with the permitted weapons for race and class, rather than repining over what they don't have for free. I'm not a great believer in adding weapon/armour skills they don't already have, either.
I don't even give my Rogue Tiefling the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, since you will pick up a nice little weapon that gives the feat for free anyway.
And that is true of other skills as well - you may pick up an item to give you almost anything you want without spending a Feat on it. Though you may find you want a feat before you get a suitable item.

As for whether it is unfair for the game standard to differ from the PnP standard - I don't really think so. The PnP world is different than the NWN2 world. They are both rather inflexible, but in different ways.