[Conor77]

My problem was that most of the alchemical items you cited were from various other sources. That, and the fact that you don't seem to consider how you describe the example classes you make as "extreme character optimization". While I do agree that class balance is important, and I thank you for doing your part to help with that, it is not a problem with my players not playing intelligently, but rather that they have neither the time nor inclination nor money to buy or find other books online to download or purchase. They don't have the PHBII, and they don't want it. I can pull a feat from it for them, but if they don't know that feat exists, why would they want it? They deal mostly with what is provided for them by the classes set forth, and the core rulebooks that they had no problem in obtaining. I see your argument, I really do. Classes need to be balanced. But they need to be balanced for everyone, not just people who know exactly how much extra damage an increased crit threat means, and have every book with every alchemical item in them. I knew what an Auran mask was before you posted about it. All they know are the 7-9 basic alchemical items that are described in the PHB. I'm just saying, not everyone knows the rules system like you do, and not everyone has your access to books. I'd appreciate if you kept that in mind, while discussing this.