Functional arms? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Functional arms? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Fenrir_Greyback
03-07-08, 02:11 PM Hey, how much of a plus to LA would you give to a race, if they had four functional arms (1 primary hand, 3 off hand)?
jradd777
03-07-08, 06:21 PM Hey, how much of a plus to LA would you give to a race, if they had four functional arms (1 primary hand, 3 off hand)?

I'd think at least +2 or so... having extra limbs gives a few other kinds of other bonuses beyond extra attacks, I believe...but I could be wrong
CryoSilver
03-07-08, 06:34 PM Depends on hos well the arms synergize with what the race gets already. A race with a Dexterity penalty, for example, would not benefit as much from 4 arms as a race with no Dex penalty.

LA +1 - +2, or thereabouts. A race with no other features would be worth LA +1 (and a weak +1 at that) in my opinion.
WebJiCi
03-07-08, 06:43 PM According to the DMG 2, an extra pair of arms, or legs, is a +1 CR adjustement and a +2 Level Adjustment.
jradd777
03-07-08, 07:02 PM According to the DMG 2, an extra pair of arms, or legs, is a +1 CR adjustement and a +2 Level Adjustment.

Wow... I'm not normally one to toot my own horn... but beep, beep, I'm proud of myself. Although, I think I did read that, I thought I had seen info about it somewhere.
Fenrir_Greyback
03-07-08, 07:08 PM Ok, so it's a +2 LA... What are good ways of bringing LA down?

I was thinking maybe a straight minus to con and cha. a minus 2 to each.

What else would I need to take it down a bit?
nighttree
03-07-08, 10:03 PM Take a look at the Obah blessed template
2 extra arms (and nice ability adjustments, grapple bonus, and "multi-weapon fighting" as a bouns feat.....+2 LA

or you can go 4 extra arms, even nicer ability adjustments, for a +3 LA.

Dungeon 136, p. 61
Xiuhcoatl
03-08-08, 07:43 AM If you removed the ability to multiweapon fight, then it'd drastically lower the LA.
jradd777
03-08-08, 02:37 PM If you removed the ability to multiweapon fight, then it'd drastically lower the LA.

That's true. That's what I did for a race I wanted to make once, I made the arms less than fully functional because it's just crazy. You'd have to nerf so many other things to bring down the LA that it basically makes the race only good because it has four functional arms and then really bad at everything else.
ragoftag
03-09-08, 11:43 AM The real consideration is in what the extra limbs bring to the game. Full use and automatic 'multi-' whatever? Way too powerful! By backing off on other features and trimming exactly what they can be used for, you are talking a much reduced LA.

I have a 'worker race' imported from another Plane that has a pair of normal (if a bit thick fingered) arms and a second pair just below them, weaker and less clumsy. The extra hands act as assists on skill checks for the race as a whole. It takes an extra feat for them to get to the 'multi-' stage, as they are a fairly peaceful people. That said, they turn into solid fighters about level 6. Shame they take hits to both Int and Cha.

A second race resembles shell-bearing octopuses, the extra limbs will be 'assists' to tasks, grapples, etc. Making them semi-amphibious has put more in crimps than extra limbs.

A third is a multi-limbed, spell casting race that will require a brutal LA, racial levels or a Raptorian progression. I may have to dig up the Spellweavers and start from there.
Wharin
03-09-08, 05:01 PM In Mythic Races, a 3rd party published book, there was a race, I believe called Serean or something similiar sounding) that had 4 arms, and was LA +0 to boot. Though, their only racial abilities included the 4 arms, and *possibly* a stat adjustment similiar to a standard elf. On top of that, all attacks (and maybe damage) with those arms were at a -2 penalty, as their underarms were weaker.

Also keep in mind this wasn't published by Wizards so buyer beware.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Fenrir_Greyback 03-07-08, 02:11 PM	Hey, how much of a plus to LA would you give to a race, if they had four functional arms (1 primary hand, 3 off hand)?
jradd777 03-07-08, 06:21 PM	Hey, how much of a plus to LA would you give to a race, if they had four functional arms (1 primary hand, 3 off hand)? I'd think at least +2 or so... having extra limbs gives a few other kinds of other bonuses beyond extra attacks, I believe...but I could be wrong
CryoSilver 03-07-08, 06:34 PM	Depends on hos well the arms synergize with what the race gets already. A race with a Dexterity penalty, for example, would not benefit as much from 4 arms as a race with no Dex penalty. LA +1 - +2, or thereabouts. A race with no other features would be worth LA +1 (and a weak +1 at that) in my opinion.
WebJiCi 03-07-08, 06:43 PM	According to the DMG 2, an extra pair of arms, or legs, is a +1 CR adjustement and a +2 Level Adjustment.
jradd777 03-07-08, 07:02 PM	According to the DMG 2, an extra pair of arms, or legs, is a +1 CR adjustement and a +2 Level Adjustment. Wow... I'm not normally one to toot my own horn... but beep, beep, I'm proud of myself. Although, I think I did read that, I thought I had seen info about it somewhere.
Fenrir_Greyback 03-07-08, 07:08 PM	Ok, so it's a +2 LA... What are good ways of bringing LA down? I was thinking maybe a straight minus to con and cha. a minus 2 to each. What else would I need to take it down a bit?
nighttree 03-07-08, 10:03 PM	Take a look at the Obah blessed template 2 extra arms (and nice ability adjustments, grapple bonus, and "multi-weapon fighting" as a bouns feat.....+2 LA or you can go 4 extra arms, even nicer ability adjustments, for a +3 LA. Dungeon 136, p. 61
Xiuhcoatl 03-08-08, 07:43 AM	If you removed the ability to multiweapon fight, then it'd drastically lower the LA.
jradd777 03-08-08, 02:37 PM	If you removed the ability to multiweapon fight, then it'd drastically lower the LA. That's true. That's what I did for a race I wanted to make once, I made the arms less than fully functional because it's just crazy. You'd have to nerf so many other things to bring down the LA that it basically makes the race only good because it has four functional arms and then really bad at everything else.
ragoftag 03-09-08, 11:43 AM	The real consideration is in what the extra limbs bring to the game. Full use and automatic 'multi-' whatever? Way too powerful! By backing off on other features and trimming exactly what they can be used for, you are talking a much reduced LA. I have a 'worker race' imported from another Plane that has a pair of normal (if a bit thick fingered) arms and a second pair just below them, weaker and less clumsy. The extra hands act as assists on skill checks for the race as a whole. It takes an extra feat for them to get to the 'multi-' stage, as they are a fairly peaceful people. That said, they turn into solid fighters about level 6. Shame they take hits to both Int and Cha. A second race resembles shell-bearing octopuses, the extra limbs will be 'assists' to tasks, grapples, etc. Making them semi-amphibious has put more in crimps than extra limbs. A third is a multi-limbed, spell casting race that will require a brutal LA, racial levels or a Raptorian progression. I may have to dig up the Spellweavers and start from there.
Wharin 03-09-08, 05:01 PM	In Mythic Races, a 3rd party published book, there was a race, I believe called Serean or something similiar sounding) that had 4 arms, and was LA +0 to boot. Though, their only racial abilities included the 4 arms, and possibly a stat adjustment similiar to a standard elf. On top of that, all attacks (and maybe damage) with those arms were at a -2 penalty, as their underarms were weaker. Also keep in mind this wasn't published by Wizards so buyer beware.