Author Topic: Help please with a new race.  (Read 2206 times)

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Lunaramblings

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Help please with a new race.
« on: November 30, 2009, 05:55:18 PM »
Ok. I am somewhat new to designing races, but I have lamented the lack of an interesting Cat-race. What I want to do is create a race of Cat People that are appropriate for LA 0, and are interesting. I have included several things in here that I thought felt right. But they may be wrong. So honest opinions and help please. Once I get the mechanics down I will put up the fluff. This is my attempt at a cat race. I have posted it on the Previous Edition Forums on WotC. I am sure their are still miles to go before I am there. So I went back to the DMG and looked at the section on creating Races. Basically it suggested starting with an existing race and adding and subtracting to get what you want. In this case, I decided to try this using Elves, as they seem to be the closest core race to what I want. So, here goes.


Tjilpa

RobbyPants

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Re: Help please with a new race.
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2009, 07:47:02 PM »
All in all, I'd say it's relatively balanced.  You get two feats for Improved Unarmed Strike/Grapple, which works well for feat-starved barbarian type grapple builds, but I don't know that I'd consider that overpowering.

Looking at the picture, I'm surprised you went with a Con penalty.  That tiger guy doesn't look frail to me at all. ;)  On a personal note, I'd probably make the stats something like +2 Dex, -2 Wis and call it a day, but that's just my personal preference, not a balance issue.  Although, as a general note, a Con penalty does hurt the race as a whole.  Con is one of those stats that everybody needs, regardless of class.

The +4 on skills is better than most races, and you might want to trim them back to +2.  Although, I could see adding in a Move Silently bonus as well.
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[spoiler]
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Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
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Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
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[/spoiler]

Lunaramblings

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Re: Help please with a new race.
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2009, 08:51:54 PM »
I wanted to give them a bonus to hide and move silently, but thought it was too much. Both being very useful skills. Also the reason I shied away from giving them a tumble bonus, though I felt that might be with in flavor as well.

Would you suggest that perhaps I penalized Str in place of Con? After all, while strong Cats arent exactly hulks of the animal world. Perhaps -2 Str +2 Dex -2 Wis +2 Int? I have swayed back and forth between an Int and Cha bonus, as I felt either was doable, given that Cats are incredibly smart and can learn may tasks quite easily, even opening containers, doors, etc. On the other hand the natural Charisma of Cats is unmistakable. They have a certain lure to them.

Further input is more than welcome.

kurashu

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Re: Help please with a new race.
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2009, 03:08:41 AM »
Penalize STR and bonus INT. Looks good though.

RobbyPants

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Re: Help please with a new race.
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2009, 09:40:37 AM »
Would you suggest that perhaps I penalized Str in place of Con? After all, while strong Cats arent exactly hulks of the animal world. Perhaps -2 Str +2 Dex -2 Wis +2 Int?
You could do that, and it would be about as balanced as any +/- ability score pairing.  I agree that a penalty to Str is a lot more attractive on a race than a penalty to Con.  Do note, that this makes the race a pretty good shoe in for a wizard, as well as a rogue.  This isn't a bad thing, although, the race is much more appealing than grey elves by simply moving the penalty from Con to Wis.  Wizards already get a good Will save, to the minor hit on Wis doesn't really hurt.  So, as long as people don't mind playing a furry cat dude, your game will probably never see a grey elf again ;).
My balancing 3.5 compendium
Elemental mage test game

Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]

Lunaramblings

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Re: Help please with a new race.
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2009, 01:11:43 AM »
See, Robby, this makes me want to NOT move the Penalty. I do not want to make anything obsolete.

VennDygrem

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Re: Help please with a new race.
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2009, 03:21:51 AM »
Honestly, most elves make themselves obsolete by being inferior to just about all the other races. :P

RobbyPants

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Re: Help please with a new race.
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2009, 09:29:18 AM »
Honestly, most elves make themselves obsolete by being inferior to just about all the other races. :P
There is that too. ;)

Honestly, aside from the fluff of playing a frail, pointy-eared guy, there's little mechanical reason to play an elf.  There's little that they do that another core race couldn't do better or at least as well as without the Con penalty.

I'm not saying you have to get rid of the Con penalty on the tjilpa.  I'm just letting you know that unless someone really wants to play a furry cat guy, the Con penalty might scare them off.
My balancing 3.5 compendium
Elemental mage test game

Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]