Thursday, October 26, 2017
Everything Hurts and I'm Dying
I know I owe you an update today, but I'm currently dealing with a kidney stone and producing coherent thought just isn't going to happen. See you next week.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Rethinking Fantasy Races Part 12 - Internet Troll
Rethinking Fantasy Races - Slaughtering Your Sacred Minotaurs
So, by now, it's no secret that World of Warcraft was where a lot of my early character inspiration came from. I intend to continue tweaking races to fit. We've already made our zombies, so let's tackle the trolls. Or, in this case, Trollkin.
Step 1: Concept
Essentially, trollkin are more primitive, more socially outcast orcs. We're gonna have to keep that in mind so that they don't end up just being essentially an orc subrace. This is also the first time we're gonna be scaling down a monster into an acceptable player race rather than tweaking an existing race. Let's dig in.
Step 2: Racial Qualities
TYPE - Humanoid (giant). Even though they're gonna be medium sized.
SIZE - Medium.
SPEED - Normal.
ABILITIES - Trolls are tough. I like a Con bonus here. I don't really want to give them a Wis bonus and a Cha penalty, but that's what feels right. Maybe I can be okay with an Int penalty. It seems like they have a natural inclination away from technological progress. =/
LANGUAGES - Standard. Trotang (derived from "Troll Tongue", but the heavy accent altered perception of the phrase) and Common. Allies get us Goblin and Orc. Enemies get us Elven and Dwarven. Ancestors give them Giant. We gave orcs a strong connection to the elements, but in WoW trolls have more reverence for loa*. About the closest thing we really come to loa are just outsiders, maybe giving them Abyssal, Celestial, and Infernal as bonus languages works here. Or, actually, maybe they're more like fey...I think I like that better. So scratch the planar languages and add Aklo and Sylvan.
That gives us Common and Trotang as starting languages with Aklo, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan as bonus languages.
*Loa (also spelled lwa) are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo. They are also referred to as "mystères" and "the invisibles" and are intermediaries between Bondye (French: Bon Dieu, meaning "good God")—the Supreme Creator, who is distant from the world—and humanity. Unlike saints or angels, however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for, and dependent on, a distant Bondye.
Step 3: Racial Traits
As mentioned before, trolls aren't exactly codified the same way player races are. They aren't quite going to have the same suite of abilities to draw from so there are going to have to be modifications. Let's look at what trolls are already getting.
Darkvision (2 RP)
Low-Light Vision (1 RP)
Scent (4 RP)
Natural Armor (2 RP)
Improved Natural Armor (10 RP)
Regeneration (Not even in the race builder. Clearly too much.)
Claws (2 RP)
Bite (1 RP)
Rend (No cost, but probably around 2 RP)
So...that puts us at 24 even without the regeneration. If we knock regeneration down to fast healing, that puts us at 30 points. We can cut another 10 off by dropping the Natural Armor to +1. We can drop the Claw/Bite/Rend attacks to drop us to 15. It's a boring 15, though. There's nothing special. It's all just defenses and senses.
Let's see...Oh! So, you know how a troll's regen can only be overcome by fire or acid? Let's give these guys vulnerability to fire and acid. Which is...a huge weakness, I know. But it gets us 4 more RP to play with and is flavorful as all hell. As boring as skill bonuses are, I think I'm just gonna go with a +2 to Perception and Survival. And the Juju oracle's Natural Divination ability is pretty fucking cool, too.
Final form?
Trollkin Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: Trollkin are tough both physically and mentally, but their primal culture makes it difficult to make a good first impression.
Type: Trollkin are Humanoids with the giant subtype.
Base Speed: Trollkin have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Trollkin begin play speaking Common and Trotang. Trollkin with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan as bonus languages. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Defense Racial Traits
Fast Healing: Trollkin regain 1 hit point each round. Except for where noted here, fast healing is just like natural healing. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, nor does it allow the trollkin to regrow lost body parts. Fast healing continues to function (even at negative hit points) until death, at which point the effects of fast healing immediately end.
Natural Armor: Trollkin gain a +1 natural armor bonus to their Armor Class.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Natural Hunter: Trollkin receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception and Survival checks.
Senses Racial Traits
Darkvision:Trollkin can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Trollkin can see twice as far as a race with normal vision in conditions of dim light.
Scent: Trollkin gain the scent ability.
Weakness Racial Traits
Elemental Vulnerability:Trollkin have vulnerability to both acid and fire.
Alternate Racial Traits
Natural Divination: Some trollkin have a deeper connection with the wild world around them. Trollkin with this racial trait can read the entrails of a freshly killed animal or humanoid to gain an insight bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier on one saving throw. Alternatively, by observing and interpreting the flight of birds, you may apply a +10 competence bonus on any one skill check. Finally, by charting marks in dirt or on stone, or observing the behavior of sand thrown into the wind, you gain a +4 insight bonus on one initiative check. These bonuses must be used during the next 24 hours, and you must declare you are using the bonus before the check or save is made. Making a natural divination takes 10 minutes. You may use natural divination (in any combination) once per day plus one additional time per day for every four levels you have attained. This alternate trait replaces the Natural Hunter racial trait.
So there. They aren't quite finished, but this is as good as they're getting today. Let me know what you think.
Until next time.
So, by now, it's no secret that World of Warcraft was where a lot of my early character inspiration came from. I intend to continue tweaking races to fit. We've already made our zombies, so let's tackle the trolls. Or, in this case, Trollkin.
Step 1: Concept
Essentially, trollkin are more primitive, more socially outcast orcs. We're gonna have to keep that in mind so that they don't end up just being essentially an orc subrace. This is also the first time we're gonna be scaling down a monster into an acceptable player race rather than tweaking an existing race. Let's dig in.
Step 2: Racial Qualities
TYPE - Humanoid (giant). Even though they're gonna be medium sized.
SIZE - Medium.
SPEED - Normal.
ABILITIES - Trolls are tough. I like a Con bonus here. I don't really want to give them a Wis bonus and a Cha penalty, but that's what feels right. Maybe I can be okay with an Int penalty. It seems like they have a natural inclination away from technological progress. =/
LANGUAGES - Standard. Trotang (derived from "Troll Tongue", but the heavy accent altered perception of the phrase) and Common. Allies get us Goblin and Orc. Enemies get us Elven and Dwarven. Ancestors give them Giant. We gave orcs a strong connection to the elements, but in WoW trolls have more reverence for loa*. About the closest thing we really come to loa are just outsiders, maybe giving them Abyssal, Celestial, and Infernal as bonus languages works here. Or, actually, maybe they're more like fey...I think I like that better. So scratch the planar languages and add Aklo and Sylvan.
That gives us Common and Trotang as starting languages with Aklo, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan as bonus languages.
*Loa (also spelled lwa) are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo. They are also referred to as "mystères" and "the invisibles" and are intermediaries between Bondye (French: Bon Dieu, meaning "good God")—the Supreme Creator, who is distant from the world—and humanity. Unlike saints or angels, however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for, and dependent on, a distant Bondye.
Step 3: Racial Traits
As mentioned before, trolls aren't exactly codified the same way player races are. They aren't quite going to have the same suite of abilities to draw from so there are going to have to be modifications. Let's look at what trolls are already getting.
Darkvision (2 RP)
Low-Light Vision (1 RP)
Scent (4 RP)
Natural Armor (2 RP)
Improved Natural Armor (10 RP)
Regeneration (Not even in the race builder. Clearly too much.)
Claws (2 RP)
Bite (1 RP)
Rend (No cost, but probably around 2 RP)
So...that puts us at 24 even without the regeneration. If we knock regeneration down to fast healing, that puts us at 30 points. We can cut another 10 off by dropping the Natural Armor to +1. We can drop the Claw/Bite/Rend attacks to drop us to 15. It's a boring 15, though. There's nothing special. It's all just defenses and senses.
Let's see...Oh! So, you know how a troll's regen can only be overcome by fire or acid? Let's give these guys vulnerability to fire and acid. Which is...a huge weakness, I know. But it gets us 4 more RP to play with and is flavorful as all hell. As boring as skill bonuses are, I think I'm just gonna go with a +2 to Perception and Survival. And the Juju oracle's Natural Divination ability is pretty fucking cool, too.
Final form?
Trollkin Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: Trollkin are tough both physically and mentally, but their primal culture makes it difficult to make a good first impression.
Type: Trollkin are Humanoids with the giant subtype.
Base Speed: Trollkin have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Trollkin begin play speaking Common and Trotang. Trollkin with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan as bonus languages. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Defense Racial Traits
Fast Healing: Trollkin regain 1 hit point each round. Except for where noted here, fast healing is just like natural healing. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, nor does it allow the trollkin to regrow lost body parts. Fast healing continues to function (even at negative hit points) until death, at which point the effects of fast healing immediately end.
Natural Armor: Trollkin gain a +1 natural armor bonus to their Armor Class.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Natural Hunter: Trollkin receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception and Survival checks.
Senses Racial Traits
Darkvision:Trollkin can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Trollkin can see twice as far as a race with normal vision in conditions of dim light.
Scent: Trollkin gain the scent ability.
Weakness Racial Traits
Elemental Vulnerability:Trollkin have vulnerability to both acid and fire.
Alternate Racial Traits
Natural Divination: Some trollkin have a deeper connection with the wild world around them. Trollkin with this racial trait can read the entrails of a freshly killed animal or humanoid to gain an insight bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier on one saving throw. Alternatively, by observing and interpreting the flight of birds, you may apply a +10 competence bonus on any one skill check. Finally, by charting marks in dirt or on stone, or observing the behavior of sand thrown into the wind, you gain a +4 insight bonus on one initiative check. These bonuses must be used during the next 24 hours, and you must declare you are using the bonus before the check or save is made. Making a natural divination takes 10 minutes. You may use natural divination (in any combination) once per day plus one additional time per day for every four levels you have attained. This alternate trait replaces the Natural Hunter racial trait.
So there. They aren't quite finished, but this is as good as they're getting today. Let me know what you think.
Until next time.
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Rethinking Fantasy Races Part 11 - Zombie
Rethinking Fantasy Races - Slaughtering Your Sacred Minotaurs
We've touched on most of the common races by now. This week, I want to take a look at a "race" that rarely gets developed for player use: the undead. Sure, Dhampir exist, but the half-vampire thing isn't quite what I'm angling for and they aren't even technically undead.
Step 1: Concept
What I want is something closer to the Forsaken from the Warcraft games. Sentient zombies, but balanced for player use. Plus I need to give them a decent name.
Step 2: Racial Qualities
TYPE - The Undead type carries a 16 RP cost, which is already more than I'm aiming for for the finished product. Dhampir are just Humanoids with some stuff to reinforce their undead connections, so we could go that route. There's also the Half-Undead subtype, which only costs 5 RP. That hits a fair amount of the notes I'm going for, so let's just start from there. Humanoid (half-undead).
SIZE - I guess this is going to be variable? I didn't initially consider the possibility of halfling Necrites (I decided to call them Necrites, obviously). I don't really like the idea. Maybe I can pull some explanation out of my ass as to why these things need to be Medium.
SPEED - A part of me deeply wants to make these guys Slow. We'll sit on that for now.
ABILITIES - Dhampir get +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Con. That's kind of the opposite of what I want these guys to be. I get the -2 Con because undead lack a Con score. These guys, however, are gonna be stiff both physically and socially. The only other physical option we have is Strength, and I like it. As far as mental scores, I'm liking Int here over Wis. These guys are having to learn how to be people all over again.
So +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution.
LANGUAGES - Hrm...I'm gonna tweak something here. We're going to combine Xenophobic and Linguist. These guys are going to start out with only their racial language, Necril. BUT, their bonus languages will just be Any. I'm sure that balances out to 0 RP.
Step 3: Racial Traits
Let's take a look at what Dhampir get.
Undead Resistance - Already covered by the half-undead subtype.
Resist Level Drain - Also already covered.
Manipulative (4 RP) - Maaaybe.
SLAs (1 RP) - I don't know if I want these guys to have spell-likes.
Darkvision - Covered.
Low-Light Vision (1 RP) - Sure.
Light Sensitivity (-1 RP) - Also maybe.
Negative Energy Affinity - Covered
And alternates...give us literally nothing that isn't vampiric in nature.
I have an idea. We're gonna look at some of the abilities that Samsarans get.
Shards of the Past (4 RP) - This is really cool, thematically.
Mystic Past Life (4 RP) - Works really well here too. Gonna keep it an alternate.
I still don't feel like these guys really have an identity yet. Let's comb through the race builder and see what looks good.
Unnatural (2 RP) - I always loved the fact that animals instinctively fear the undead in some stories.
Stalker (1 RP) - Being able to pretend to be a corpse has gotta have some benefit, right?
Fell Magic (3 RP) - Still not sure I wanna give them SLAs, but if I decide to this is the way I'd like to go.
Stench Aura (4 RP) - This one just amuses me.
Toxic (1 RP) - And this one is legitimately cool.
Carrion Sense (1 RP) - I love how flavorful this is.
See in Darkness (4 RP) - I just really want to give this to things. All the things.
Resurrection Vulnerability (-1 RP) - Very Final Fantasy.
Hold Breath (1 RP) - This hits those WoW notes.
Well, that's more to look at, at least. We're gonna have to cut a ton.
NECRITE
Type - Humanoid (half-undead) 5 RP
Size - Medium 0 RP
Base Speed - Slow -1 RP
Ability Score Modifiers - Standard (+2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution) 0 RP
Languages - Mixed 0 RP
Racial Traits
Defense Racial Traits
Unnatural 2 RP
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Manipulative 4 RP
Shards of the Past 4 RP
Stalker 1 RP
Magical Racial Traits
SLAs 4 RP
Mystic Past Lie 4 RP
Offense Racial Traits
Stench Aura 4 RP
Toxic 1 RP
Senses Racial Traits
Low-Light Vision 1 RP
See In Darkness 4 RP
Carrion Sense 1 RP
Standard Racial Traits
Hold Breath 1 RP
Weakness Racial Traits
Light Sensitivity -1 RP
Resurrection Vulnerability -1 RP
So as of right now, we're looking at 33 points. Dropping Manipulative, all the SLAs, and Low-Light Vision gets us down to 22. Mystic Past Life as an alternate brings us to 18. Let's drop Stench Aura to hit 14 and remove Light Sensitivity to hit our 15.
So, our final version looks like this.
Necrite Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: Necrites are raw power and intellect, but their bodies are still one foot in the grave. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, and -2 Constitution.
Type: Necrites are Humanoids with the half-undead subtype.
Base Speed: Necrites have a base speed of 20 feet.
Languages: Necrites begin play speaking Necril. Necrites 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
Half-Undead Traits: Necrites have darkvision 60 feet. Necrites gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects. Necrites take no penalties from energy-draining effects, though they can still be killed if they accrue more negative levels than they have Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels they’ve gained are removed without any additional saving throws. Necrites are harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy. A necrite with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
Unnatural: Necrites take a –4 penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks to affect creatures of the animal type, and receive a +4 dodge bonus to AC against animals. Animals’ starting attitude toward necrites is one step worse than normal.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Shards of the Past: A necrite’s past life grants them bonuses on two particular skills. A necrite chooses two skills—they gains a +2 racial bonus on both of these skills, and they are treated as class skills regardless of what class they actually take.
Stalker: Perception and Stealth are always class skills for necrites.
Offense Racial Traits
Toxic: A number of times per day equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum 1/day), a necrite can envenom a weapon that it wields with its toxic blood (using blood requires the necrite to be injured when it uses this ability). Applying venom in this way is a swift action.
Paralytic Blood: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + the 1/2 user’s Hit Dice + the user’s Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save.
Senses Racial Traits
Carrion Sense: Necrites have a natural ability to sniff out carrion. This functions like the scent ability, but only for corpses and badly wounded creatures (creatures with 25% or fewer hit points).
See in Darkness: Necrites can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, including that created by spells such as deeper darkness.
Standard Racial Traits
Hold Breath: Necrites can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to four times their Constitution score before risking drowning or suffocating.
Weakness Racial Traits
Resurrection Vulnerability: A raise dead spell cast on a necrite can destroy it (Will negates). Using the spell in this way does not require a material component.
Alternate Racial Traits
Mystic Past Life (Su): You can add spells from another spellcasting class to the spell list of your current spellcasting class. You add a number of spells equal to 1 + your spellcasting class’s key ability score bonus (Wisdom for clerics, and so on). The spells must be the same type (arcane or divine) as the spellcasting class you’re adding them to. For example, you could add divine power to your druid class spell list, but not to your wizard class spell list because divine power is a divine spell. These spells do not have to be spells you can cast as a 1st-level character. The number of spells granted by this ability is set at 1st level. Changes to your ability score do not change the number of spells gained. This racial trait replaces shards of the past.
There, I think they're neat. Let me know what you think.
Until next time.
We've touched on most of the common races by now. This week, I want to take a look at a "race" that rarely gets developed for player use: the undead. Sure, Dhampir exist, but the half-vampire thing isn't quite what I'm angling for and they aren't even technically undead.
Step 1: Concept
What I want is something closer to the Forsaken from the Warcraft games. Sentient zombies, but balanced for player use. Plus I need to give them a decent name.
Step 2: Racial Qualities
TYPE - The Undead type carries a 16 RP cost, which is already more than I'm aiming for for the finished product. Dhampir are just Humanoids with some stuff to reinforce their undead connections, so we could go that route. There's also the Half-Undead subtype, which only costs 5 RP. That hits a fair amount of the notes I'm going for, so let's just start from there. Humanoid (half-undead).
SIZE - I guess this is going to be variable? I didn't initially consider the possibility of halfling Necrites (I decided to call them Necrites, obviously). I don't really like the idea. Maybe I can pull some explanation out of my ass as to why these things need to be Medium.
SPEED - A part of me deeply wants to make these guys Slow. We'll sit on that for now.
ABILITIES - Dhampir get +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Con. That's kind of the opposite of what I want these guys to be. I get the -2 Con because undead lack a Con score. These guys, however, are gonna be stiff both physically and socially. The only other physical option we have is Strength, and I like it. As far as mental scores, I'm liking Int here over Wis. These guys are having to learn how to be people all over again.
So +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution.
LANGUAGES - Hrm...I'm gonna tweak something here. We're going to combine Xenophobic and Linguist. These guys are going to start out with only their racial language, Necril. BUT, their bonus languages will just be Any. I'm sure that balances out to 0 RP.
Step 3: Racial Traits
Let's take a look at what Dhampir get.
Undead Resistance - Already covered by the half-undead subtype.
Resist Level Drain - Also already covered.
Manipulative (4 RP) - Maaaybe.
SLAs (1 RP) - I don't know if I want these guys to have spell-likes.
Darkvision - Covered.
Low-Light Vision (1 RP) - Sure.
Light Sensitivity (-1 RP) - Also maybe.
Negative Energy Affinity - Covered
And alternates...give us literally nothing that isn't vampiric in nature.
I have an idea. We're gonna look at some of the abilities that Samsarans get.
Shards of the Past (4 RP) - This is really cool, thematically.
Mystic Past Life (4 RP) - Works really well here too. Gonna keep it an alternate.
I still don't feel like these guys really have an identity yet. Let's comb through the race builder and see what looks good.
Unnatural (2 RP) - I always loved the fact that animals instinctively fear the undead in some stories.
Stalker (1 RP) - Being able to pretend to be a corpse has gotta have some benefit, right?
Fell Magic (3 RP) - Still not sure I wanna give them SLAs, but if I decide to this is the way I'd like to go.
Stench Aura (4 RP) - This one just amuses me.
Toxic (1 RP) - And this one is legitimately cool.
Carrion Sense (1 RP) - I love how flavorful this is.
See in Darkness (4 RP) - I just really want to give this to things. All the things.
Resurrection Vulnerability (-1 RP) - Very Final Fantasy.
Hold Breath (1 RP) - This hits those WoW notes.
Well, that's more to look at, at least. We're gonna have to cut a ton.
NECRITE
Type - Humanoid (half-undead) 5 RP
Size - Medium 0 RP
Base Speed - Slow -1 RP
Ability Score Modifiers - Standard (+2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution) 0 RP
Languages - Mixed 0 RP
Racial Traits
Defense Racial Traits
Unnatural 2 RP
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Manipulative 4 RP
Shards of the Past 4 RP
Stalker 1 RP
Magical Racial Traits
SLAs 4 RP
Mystic Past Lie 4 RP
Offense Racial Traits
Stench Aura 4 RP
Toxic 1 RP
Senses Racial Traits
Low-Light Vision 1 RP
See In Darkness 4 RP
Carrion Sense 1 RP
Standard Racial Traits
Hold Breath 1 RP
Weakness Racial Traits
Light Sensitivity -1 RP
Resurrection Vulnerability -1 RP
So as of right now, we're looking at 33 points. Dropping Manipulative, all the SLAs, and Low-Light Vision gets us down to 22. Mystic Past Life as an alternate brings us to 18. Let's drop Stench Aura to hit 14 and remove Light Sensitivity to hit our 15.
So, our final version looks like this.
Necrite Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: Necrites are raw power and intellect, but their bodies are still one foot in the grave. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, and -2 Constitution.
Type: Necrites are Humanoids with the half-undead subtype.
Base Speed: Necrites have a base speed of 20 feet.
Languages: Necrites begin play speaking Necril. Necrites 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
Half-Undead Traits: Necrites have darkvision 60 feet. Necrites gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects. Necrites take no penalties from energy-draining effects, though they can still be killed if they accrue more negative levels than they have Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels they’ve gained are removed without any additional saving throws. Necrites are harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy. A necrite with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
Unnatural: Necrites take a –4 penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks to affect creatures of the animal type, and receive a +4 dodge bonus to AC against animals. Animals’ starting attitude toward necrites is one step worse than normal.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Shards of the Past: A necrite’s past life grants them bonuses on two particular skills. A necrite chooses two skills—they gains a +2 racial bonus on both of these skills, and they are treated as class skills regardless of what class they actually take.
Stalker: Perception and Stealth are always class skills for necrites.
Offense Racial Traits
Toxic: A number of times per day equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum 1/day), a necrite can envenom a weapon that it wields with its toxic blood (using blood requires the necrite to be injured when it uses this ability). Applying venom in this way is a swift action.
Paralytic Blood: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + the 1/2 user’s Hit Dice + the user’s Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save.
Senses Racial Traits
Carrion Sense: Necrites have a natural ability to sniff out carrion. This functions like the scent ability, but only for corpses and badly wounded creatures (creatures with 25% or fewer hit points).
See in Darkness: Necrites can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, including that created by spells such as deeper darkness.
Standard Racial Traits
Hold Breath: Necrites can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to four times their Constitution score before risking drowning or suffocating.
Weakness Racial Traits
Resurrection Vulnerability: A raise dead spell cast on a necrite can destroy it (Will negates). Using the spell in this way does not require a material component.
Alternate Racial Traits
Mystic Past Life (Su): You can add spells from another spellcasting class to the spell list of your current spellcasting class. You add a number of spells equal to 1 + your spellcasting class’s key ability score bonus (Wisdom for clerics, and so on). The spells must be the same type (arcane or divine) as the spellcasting class you’re adding them to. For example, you could add divine power to your druid class spell list, but not to your wizard class spell list because divine power is a divine spell. These spells do not have to be spells you can cast as a 1st-level character. The number of spells granted by this ability is set at 1st level. Changes to your ability score do not change the number of spells gained. This racial trait replaces shards of the past.
There, I think they're neat. Let me know what you think.
Until next time.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Rethinking Fantasy Races Part 10 - The Orcish March
Rethinking Fantasy Races - Slaughtering Your Sacred Minotaurs
Orcs are another race that has generally changed a lot with each iteration. Their origin, as much of D&D, lies with Tolkien. They were, as far as I've read, a unique creation on Tolkien's part, but he also pretty much used orc and goblin interchangeably. Blizzard's orcs are basically green fantasy Klingons; noble warrior/primal shaman types. Then we've got the pigman orcs that somehow exist, probably as a result of other orcs' tusks and the fact that orc rhymes with pork.
Step 1: Concept
I feel like going with the popular Blizzard model is the best choice here. Powerful, combative, tribal...that all sounds good to me.
Step 2: Racial Qualities
TYPE - Humanoid (orc)
SIZE - Medium. They're buff, but they aren't 8+ feet tall.
SPEED - Normal.
ABILITIES - Okay, core orcs get +4 Strength and -2 to all mental stats. Rubbish, I say. I'm cool with dropping the +4 Strength to +2.
A penalty to all racial stats is just insulting. Just because orcs live in a tribal society doesn't mean that they aren't as mentally capable as a human. I mean, humans also live in tribal societies.
No, we're going to make the penalty just -2 Charisma. Orcs aren't exactly known for their social skills.
That leaves us with a mental bonus to hand out, and I think Wisdom is the right choice here. Orcs are hunters and survivalists.
So, +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
LANGUAGES - Standard. They'll start with Common and Orc.
Allies? Probably goblinoids, ogres, and trolls. That gives us Goblin and Giant.
Enemies? Traditionally humans, elves and dwarves. Elven and Dwarven get added.
Weird stuff? I think orcs work really well as elementalists. Maybe I'm pulling too much from Warcraft here, but having strong reverence for the elements feels good to me. We'll add Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran. That puts us over seven bonus languages, but fuck it.
That gives us Common and Orc as starting languages with Aquan, Auran, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Ignan, and Terran as bonus languages.
Step 3: Racial Traits
Alright, core orcs get the following:
Ferocity (4 RP) - This is a great ability, but it's a slightly worse form of Diehard, which we can pick up for half the RP cost. Also, I consolidated Endurance and Diehard into a single feet way back when I tinkered with mechanics.
Weapon Familiarity (2 RP) - This version of weapon familarity is actually lacking a weapon for its point cost. We'll give them something cool.
Darkvision (2 RP) - Yup.
Light Sensitivity (-1 RP) - I've honestly never understood why orcs have light sensitivity. It may just have been my gaming groups over the years, but orcs were a lot more likely to be living in swamps and deserts than in caves. /shrug
Man, orcs get shafted. Let's look at alternates.
Feral (2 RP?) - This ability starts out cool with Survival as a constant class skill and a bonus to melee attack and damage rolls at negative hit points. Then, for some reason, it takes away your automatic languages. -_- Maybe we'll keep the first half.
Smeller (6 RP!) - So, giving up 6 RP worth of traits for a half strength trait that would normally cost 4 RP? Why do they hate orcs so much? We'll just make this full Scent. It's better and cheaper.
Squalid (4 RP) - This is actually a really cool ability except it's way overcosted. I mean, Dual-Minded is 1 RP for a flat +2 to Will saves. Maybe I'll just give them a bonus to Fort saves? We'll see. Oh look, the half-orc version of this is identical, but it replaces a 2 RP ability.
Not enough abilities. Let's pull from Half-Orc.
Intimidating (2 RP) - Cool beans.
Gatecrasher (2 RP) - Way cool.
Pain Tolerance (4 RP) - DR that only works against nonlethal damage is an awesome concept. Too bad this ability is as overcosted as it is. Maybe I'll bump the nonlethal DR up to 5. Because nonlethal damage rarely happens anyway.
Scavenger (2 RP) - Nice.
Shaman's Apprentice (2 RP) - See Ferocity.
Okay, let's put this together and see what we have.
ORC
Type - Humanoid (orc) 0 RP
Size - Medium 0 RP
Base Speed - Normal 0 RP
Ability Score Modifiers - Standard (+2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma) 0 RP
Languages - Standard 0 RP
Racial Traits
Defense Racial TraitsSqualid 2 RP
Pain Tolerance 4 RP
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Intimidating 2 RP
Scavenger 2 RP
Static Bonus Feat (Endurance) 2 RP
Offense Racial Traits
Feral 2 RP
Gatecrasher 2 RP
Weapon Familiarity 2 RP
Senses Racial Traits
Darkvision 2 RP
Scent 4 RP
Weakness Racial Traits
Light Sensitivity -1 RP
That brings us to 23 RP. Let's see what we can chop down. Let's make Scavenger and Squalid alternate traits, and cut Pain Tolerance (as much as I like it) which should bring us down to 15.
That brings us to...
Orc Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: Orcs are powerful hunters, but they have difficulty making a good impression. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, and -2 Charisma.
Type: Orcs are humanoids with the orc subtype
Base Speed: Orcs have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Orcs begin play speaking Common and Orc. Orcs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aquan, Auran, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Ignan, and Terran. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Ferocity: Orcs gain Endurance as a bonus feat.
Intimidating: Orcs gain a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate skill checks.
Offense Racial Traits
Feral: Orcs gain Survival as a class skill and gain a +1 racial bonus on melee weapon attack and damage rolls when at negative hit points.
Gatecrasher: Orcs gain a +2 racial bonus on Strength checks to break objects and on sunder combat maneuver checks.
Weapon Familiarity: Orcs are always proficient with greataxes, falchions, and scorpion whips, and treat any weapon with the word “orc” in its name as a martial weapon.
Senses Racial Traits
Darkvision: Orcs can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
Scent: Orcs gain the scent ability.
Weakness Racial Traits
Light Sensitivity: Orcs are dazzled as long as they remain in an area of bright light.
Alternate Racial Traits
Scavenger: Some orcs eke out a leaving picking over the garbage heaps of society, and must learn to separate rare finds from the inevitable dross. Orcs with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks and on Perception checks to find hidden objects (including traps and secret doors), determine whether food is spoiled, or identify a potion by taste. This racial trait replaces gatecrasher.
Squalid: Some orcs exist in surroundings so filthy and pestilent that even other orcs would have difficulty living in them. Orcs with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws made to resist nausea, the sickened condition, and disease. This racial trait replaces gatecrasher.
There. Much better than core. Let me know what you think.
Until next time.
Orcs are another race that has generally changed a lot with each iteration. Their origin, as much of D&D, lies with Tolkien. They were, as far as I've read, a unique creation on Tolkien's part, but he also pretty much used orc and goblin interchangeably. Blizzard's orcs are basically green fantasy Klingons; noble warrior/primal shaman types. Then we've got the pigman orcs that somehow exist, probably as a result of other orcs' tusks and the fact that orc rhymes with pork.
Step 1: Concept
I feel like going with the popular Blizzard model is the best choice here. Powerful, combative, tribal...that all sounds good to me.
Step 2: Racial Qualities
TYPE - Humanoid (orc)
SIZE - Medium. They're buff, but they aren't 8+ feet tall.
SPEED - Normal.
ABILITIES - Okay, core orcs get +4 Strength and -2 to all mental stats. Rubbish, I say. I'm cool with dropping the +4 Strength to +2.
A penalty to all racial stats is just insulting. Just because orcs live in a tribal society doesn't mean that they aren't as mentally capable as a human. I mean, humans also live in tribal societies.
No, we're going to make the penalty just -2 Charisma. Orcs aren't exactly known for their social skills.
That leaves us with a mental bonus to hand out, and I think Wisdom is the right choice here. Orcs are hunters and survivalists.
So, +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
LANGUAGES - Standard. They'll start with Common and Orc.
Allies? Probably goblinoids, ogres, and trolls. That gives us Goblin and Giant.
Enemies? Traditionally humans, elves and dwarves. Elven and Dwarven get added.
Weird stuff? I think orcs work really well as elementalists. Maybe I'm pulling too much from Warcraft here, but having strong reverence for the elements feels good to me. We'll add Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran. That puts us over seven bonus languages, but fuck it.
That gives us Common and Orc as starting languages with Aquan, Auran, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Ignan, and Terran as bonus languages.
Step 3: Racial Traits
Alright, core orcs get the following:
Ferocity (4 RP) - This is a great ability, but it's a slightly worse form of Diehard, which we can pick up for half the RP cost. Also, I consolidated Endurance and Diehard into a single feet way back when I tinkered with mechanics.
Weapon Familiarity (2 RP) - This version of weapon familarity is actually lacking a weapon for its point cost. We'll give them something cool.
Darkvision (2 RP) - Yup.
Light Sensitivity (-1 RP) - I've honestly never understood why orcs have light sensitivity. It may just have been my gaming groups over the years, but orcs were a lot more likely to be living in swamps and deserts than in caves. /shrug
Man, orcs get shafted. Let's look at alternates.
Feral (2 RP?) - This ability starts out cool with Survival as a constant class skill and a bonus to melee attack and damage rolls at negative hit points. Then, for some reason, it takes away your automatic languages. -_- Maybe we'll keep the first half.
Smeller (6 RP!) - So, giving up 6 RP worth of traits for a half strength trait that would normally cost 4 RP? Why do they hate orcs so much? We'll just make this full Scent. It's better and cheaper.
Squalid (4 RP) - This is actually a really cool ability except it's way overcosted. I mean, Dual-Minded is 1 RP for a flat +2 to Will saves. Maybe I'll just give them a bonus to Fort saves? We'll see. Oh look, the half-orc version of this is identical, but it replaces a 2 RP ability.
Not enough abilities. Let's pull from Half-Orc.
Intimidating (2 RP) - Cool beans.
Gatecrasher (2 RP) - Way cool.
Pain Tolerance (4 RP) - DR that only works against nonlethal damage is an awesome concept. Too bad this ability is as overcosted as it is. Maybe I'll bump the nonlethal DR up to 5. Because nonlethal damage rarely happens anyway.
Scavenger (2 RP) - Nice.
Shaman's Apprentice (2 RP) - See Ferocity.
Okay, let's put this together and see what we have.
ORC
Type - Humanoid (orc) 0 RP
Size - Medium 0 RP
Base Speed - Normal 0 RP
Ability Score Modifiers - Standard (+2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma) 0 RP
Languages - Standard 0 RP
Racial Traits
Defense Racial TraitsSqualid 2 RP
Pain Tolerance 4 RP
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Intimidating 2 RP
Scavenger 2 RP
Static Bonus Feat (Endurance) 2 RP
Offense Racial Traits
Feral 2 RP
Gatecrasher 2 RP
Weapon Familiarity 2 RP
Senses Racial Traits
Darkvision 2 RP
Scent 4 RP
Weakness Racial Traits
Light Sensitivity -1 RP
That brings us to 23 RP. Let's see what we can chop down. Let's make Scavenger and Squalid alternate traits, and cut Pain Tolerance (as much as I like it) which should bring us down to 15.
That brings us to...
Orc Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: Orcs are powerful hunters, but they have difficulty making a good impression. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, and -2 Charisma.
Type: Orcs are humanoids with the orc subtype
Base Speed: Orcs have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Orcs begin play speaking Common and Orc. Orcs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aquan, Auran, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Ignan, and Terran. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Ferocity: Orcs gain Endurance as a bonus feat.
Intimidating: Orcs gain a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate skill checks.
Offense Racial Traits
Feral: Orcs gain Survival as a class skill and gain a +1 racial bonus on melee weapon attack and damage rolls when at negative hit points.
Gatecrasher: Orcs gain a +2 racial bonus on Strength checks to break objects and on sunder combat maneuver checks.
Weapon Familiarity: Orcs are always proficient with greataxes, falchions, and scorpion whips, and treat any weapon with the word “orc” in its name as a martial weapon.
Senses Racial Traits
Darkvision: Orcs can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
Scent: Orcs gain the scent ability.
Weakness Racial Traits
Light Sensitivity: Orcs are dazzled as long as they remain in an area of bright light.
Alternate Racial Traits
Scavenger: Some orcs eke out a leaving picking over the garbage heaps of society, and must learn to separate rare finds from the inevitable dross. Orcs with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks and on Perception checks to find hidden objects (including traps and secret doors), determine whether food is spoiled, or identify a potion by taste. This racial trait replaces gatecrasher.
Squalid: Some orcs exist in surroundings so filthy and pestilent that even other orcs would have difficulty living in them. Orcs with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws made to resist nausea, the sickened condition, and disease. This racial trait replaces gatecrasher.
There. Much better than core. Let me know what you think.
Until next time.
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