Rethinking Fantasy Races - Slaughtering Your Sacred Minotaurs
[[Note: I've transitioned into posting on Thursdays, rather than Mondays.]]
Gnomes are weird. They're a widespread mishmash of concepts depending on what setting we're talking about. Classic D&D gnomes are wild-eyed curiosity seekers. Pathfinder gnomes are the same, but this time it's a genetic draw toward the weird stuff and if you don't delve into it, you die. Or get bleached. Because they're literally fey and the Material Plane is killing them? I don't...whatever. Warcraft gnomes are mechanists and tinkers, building ever more complex tech. I'm not sure where I want to go with them yet.
Step 1: Concept
Small, mischievous, brilliant idiots. That's kind of the best description I can produce for gnomes.
Step 2: Racial Qualities
TYPE - Humanoid (gnome). These guys are going to solidly be from the Material Plane.
SIZE - Small.
SPEED - Slow.
ABILITIES - So, core gnomes get +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength.
The +2 Con is fine. I like it.
The +2 Cha is weird, though. I mean, a short, wild-eyed person with hair dyed seven different vivid colors and spiked up half as tall as they are is going to put people on guard. You never know when a gnome is gonna jump up on a table and start singing about pork chops. No, they definitely aren't getting a Cha bonus. What I want to give them, however, is an Intelligence bonus. They have a strong reputation as inventors and there's that old line about genius and madness, y'know?
As far as the -2 Str, aren't these guys hit hard enough? I mean, they're already dealing a die type lower for damage and their carrying capacity is only 3/4 of what a medium character can carry. Do they really need an additional penalty to Strength? Dress it up as standard modifications for size all you want. If that were true, they'd be getting +2 Dex, -4 Str, -2 Con. No, this is clearly racism. What I like for their racial penaly is -2 Wisdom. Gnomes minds tend to wander and they're just as likely to be distracted by a shiny bug as they are to be by whatever MacGuffin the adventure calls for. They just can't sit still long enough to pay that much attention. They have ADD as a racial quality.
This brings us to +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom. Looks good to me.
LANGUAGES - I'm a bit torn here. I definitely want to give them Linguist here, but I feel like they'd be more likely to know a smattering of seventeen different languages without being fluent in most of them. We'll still give them Linguist, but we'll find some sort of other ability that plays with language as well.
Step 3: Racial Traits
Alright, let's dive into the deep end here.
Defensive Training (1 RP) - I guess. I think I'm just instinctively shying away from traits like this. What if you never fight a giant? this becomes a wasted trait.
Illusion Resistance (1 RP) - Not these gnomes. These gnomes see pretty lights and off they go.
Keen Senses (2 RP) - Did you guys just see that fox? I'm gonna try to catch it real quick. Be right back.
Obsessive (2 RP) - Maybe? There's gotta be some kind of dilettante option where they get weird bonuses to lots of stuff.
Gnome Magic (2 RP) - Totally. I'm changing the relevant casting stat to Int, though.
Hatred (1 RP) - Meh.
Weapon Familiarity (1 RP) - Sure.
Low-Light Vision (1 RP) - Works for me.
Hrm...let's look at their alternates.
Dirty Trickster (4 RP) - Way cool.
Eternal Hope (2 RP) - I think this fits pretty well. "Come on, guys. We might find a cool leaf over that next hill!"
Explorer (4 RP) - This works. I might swap the Knowledge for Swim, though.
Gift of Tongues (2 RP) - I love it.
Inquisitive (4 RP) - Also cool.
Master Tinker (2 RP) - There are a lot of neat abilities here. We're probably gonna have more alternates for gnomes than anyone yet.
Utilitarian Magic (2 RP) - I think I like this better than Gnome Magic.
Vivacious (4 RP) - I like the idea of the gnome being ready to go hours before everyone else.
Whew. Lots there. Also, I want to pull Reflexive Improvisation (4 RP) from half-elves because I think it fits super well with gnomes and I don't know what I'm going to do about crossbreeds. I still need that linguistic dilettante ability. Something along the lines of...
Pidgin Tongue: Gnomes can use Linguistics untrained to attempt to understand or convey simple messages with another character without sharing a common language. The DC of this check is 15. If you are successful, you infer or convey a rough understanding of what is being said. If your check fails by 5 or more, you infer or convey the wrong message.
That's gotta be around the same cost as a skill bonus, right? 2 RP sounds good to me.
Alright, let's see what we have.
GNOME
Type - Humanoid (gnome) 0 RP
Size - Small 0 RP
Base Speed - Slow -1 RP
Ability Score Modifiers - Standard (+2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom) 0 RP
Languages - Linguist 1 RP
Racial Traits
Defense Racial Traits
Eternal Hope 2 RP
Vivacious 4 RP
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Explorer 4 RP
Gift of Tongues 2 RP
Inquisitive 4 RP
Keen Senses 2 RP
Master Tinker 2 RP
Pidgin Tongue 2 RP
Reflexive Improvisation 4 RP
Magical Racial Traits
Utilitarian Magic 2 RP
Offense Racial Traits
Dirty Trickster 4 RP
Weapon Familiarity 2 RP
Senses Racial Traits
Low-Light Vision 1 RP
So much stuff. That brings us to 34 RP. More than double what we're shooting for. Okay, time to look for cuts. I definitely want to keep Reflexive Improvisation and Pidgin Tongue. Let's drop Gift of Tongues. We'll bump Master Tinker up to a +2 bonus and make it an alternate, along with Dirty Trickster, Explorer, and Inquisitive. Vivacious is neat, but we can drop it. That brings us to 14. I don't want to give them darkvision, so let's add in a couple weird weapons to their weapon familiarity to bring us up to 15.
Let's finalize the little buggers.
Gnome Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: Gnomes are hardy and inquisitive, but often lack the good sense to leave things alone. They gain +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, and -2 Wisdom.
Type: Gnomes are Humanoid creatures with the gnome subtype.
Size: Gnomes are Small creatures and thus gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Base Speed: (Slow Speed) Gnomes have a base speed of 20 feet.
Languages: Gnomes begin play speaking Common and Gnome. Gnomes with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Defense Racial Traits
Eternal Hope:Gnomes receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against fear and despair effects. Once per day, after rolling a 1 on a d20, the gnome may reroll and use the second result.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Keen Senses: Gnomes receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
Pidgin Tongue: Gnomes can use Linguistics untrained to attempt to understand or convey simple messages with another character without sharing a common language. The DC of this check is 15. If you are successful, you infer or convey a rough understanding of what is being said. If your check fails by 5 or more, you infer or convey the wrong message.
Reflexive Improvisation: Gnomes gain a +2 racial bonus on untrained skill checks.
Magical Racial Traits
Gnome Magic:Gnomes add 1 to the DC of any saving throws against transmutation spells they cast. If their Intelligence score is 11 or higher, they also gain the following spell-like abilities 1/day—mage hand, open/close, prestidigitation, and unseen servant. The DC for these spells is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the gnome’s Intelligence modifier.
Offense Racial Traits
Weapon Familiarity:Gnomes are proficient with bandalores, flailpoles, and horsehides, and treat any weapon with the word “gnome” in its name as a martial weapon.
Senses Racial Traits
Low-Light Vision:Gnomes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Alternate Racial Traits
Dirty Trickster:All gnomes love pranks, but some specialize in those improvised during battle. These gnomes gain a +2 racial bonus on dirty trick combat maneuvers. They need not meet the Intelligence requirement to select Combat Expertise, Improved Dirty Trick, and any feat with Improved Dirty Trick as a prerequisite. This racial trait replaces reflexive improvisation
Explorer: Many gnomes are obsessed with seeing as much of the world as possible. These gnomes gain a +2 racial bonus on Climb checks and checks for one Knowledge skill of their choice. This racial trait replaces reflexive improvisation.
Inquisitive: Gnomes have a knack for being in places they shouldn’t be. Gnomes with this trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Disable Device and Escape Artist checks. This racial trait replaces reflexive improvisation.
Master Tinker:Gnomes experiment with all manner of mechanical devices. Gnomes with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on Disable Device and Knowledge (engineering) checks. They are treated as proficient with any weapon they have personally crafted. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
There. That looks like a lot of fun. Oh, before I forget...
BONUS ITEMS!
Bandalore
A bandalore is a weapon consisting of an axle connected to two metal disks, and a length of alchemically treated twine looped around the axle. It is used by holding the free end of the twine (known as the handle) allowing gravity or the force of a throw to spin the bandalore and unwind the twine, allowing the bandalore to wind itself back to one's hand, exploiting its spin.
Light Exotic Weapon; cost 21 gp; Damage 1d3 (S), 1d4 (M); critical x2; range –; weight 1 lbs.; type B; special disarm, performance, reach, trip
Horsehide
A horsehide is a ball featuring a cork center, wrapped in yarn, and covered with two strips of horsehide or cowhide, tightly stitched together. The user simply throws the ball at a target, taking advantage of the speed of the ball to deal damage.
Ranged Martial Weapon; cost 5 gp; Damage 1d4 (S), 1d6 (M); critical x3; range 30 ft.; weight 1 lbs; type B
Let me know what you think.
Until next time.
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