New NPC race (for fun) [Archive] - Wizards Community

New NPC race (for fun) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ciaran
03-11-08, 06:34 PM This is an NPC race I often have my players run across in large towns and cities. I get a kick out of it. Although I doubt anyone would play as one...

****

Long ago, before men dominated the world, the gods of dwarves and elves quarreled over the lot of their children. Even the friends and family of Corellon and Moradin, gods themselves, argued over what was best for their people. Eventually they all resolved their difference, in a manner, and things became as they are now.

But the voice of one of Moradin's folk, some say a young cousin, was not heard. He said nothing and stood by his kin, as is the Dwarven way. Many thousands of years did he toil, all the while dreaming of a better life. Finally, he led those of like mind out from under the mountain and into the lands of the sun. Thus were born the Prairie Dwarves.

Prairie Dwarves learned from the ways of Men and Elves and integrated themselves into this new world. They are friendly but shrewd in business - making fine shopkeepers - and their Prairie Wine is rivalled only by the skill of the elves and their sense of enterprise by humans.

****

Lands
Most Prairie Dwarves live in travelling caravans - never settling for long - or as small communities in human cities where they come in contact with the most trade and business oportunities. They are both open and closed to non-dwarves, in their own unique way. Some even live within other dwarven communities for parts of their lives, sometimes acting as emmisaries to other races for the purpose of diplomacy and trade.

Alignment
Lawfulful Good and Lawful Neutral are the dominant alignments of these people, although more unscrupulous merchants are not unheard of.

Beliefs
Prairie Dwarves, true to their roots, still hold all the Dwarven Pantheon in honor. They are proud of their heritage, where they came from, and the struggle of their people.

Relations

Language
Prairie Dwarves speak the common speech of the land as well as they do their native tongue, a fact they are proud of. In any case, Dwarven has a much larger vocabulary of words for mining (important to gems and precious metals), manufacturing (important to salable goods) and protection (valuable to any merchant). With the abundance of other races they come in contact with they have the chance to learn most any.

****

+2 Constitution, –2 Dexterity. Prairie Dwarves are stout and more social than their mountain kin, but slower on their feet

Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).

Low-Light Vision: Prairie Dwarves can see twice as far as humans in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

Stability: A dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).

+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.

+2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.

+1 racial bonus on attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids. These foes have followed them even into these new lands.

+2 racial bonus on Appraise, Profession and Knowledge (Local) checks. Prairie Dwarves excel at shopkeeping and trading.

Canny Appraisal: Prairie Dwarves can appraise items as a full-round action instead of the one minute it usually takes and can take 10 even when being threatened or distracted. However, if the object is carefully handled or examined for one minute then he may roll d20 twice and use the better of the two (even if both rolls are worse than 10). Canny Appraisal also allows use of the Knowledge (Local) skill to determine the best place to buy and sell specific goods.

Masterful Bartering: The Diplomacy DC to lower the price of an item an NPC Prairie Dwarf is selling is increased by 5. When opposed Diplomacy checks are made to haggle over price, a Prairie Dwarf instead receives a +5 to that roll. Only one of these bonuses may be used at a time, according to the situation, and do not stack. Note that the bonuses received are esentially cancelled out when one barters with another of his kind.

Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Any.

Favored Class: Rogue or Expert, as appropriate. A multiclass Prairie Dwarf’s rogue or expert class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
jradd777
03-12-08, 02:28 PM +5 on opposed Diplomacy checks to raise or lower the price of most items.

I love the race but... if it's NPC, it can't really use Diplomacy. That's not how Diplomacy works, you don't do opposed checks, unless you're playing by some sort of houserules. This would only apply if being used for a PC. PC's can't even make Diplomacy checks against other PC's. They don't have the attitude (hostile, indifferent, friendly) to be changed, and if they did, it wouldn't be right for a DM to simply change a PC's mind about how he feels about an NPC.

Just give them the ability to always sell goods at a certain percentage above normal price. Anytime a Prairie Dwarf sells an item is it at 110% the normal price (or in another words 10% more than standard price). Something like that. Or their prices always start at 120% standard and they can be talked down from there or something, whatever you feel is appropriate to their mercantile skill. Great work though!
ciaran
03-12-08, 06:17 PM Well then I guess for NPCs the DC to lower the sale price would be 5 higher. Or a +5 if the DM decides on opposed rolls, as might be done when haggling. Good point though. There's a set DC when trying to improve reactions.

Its mostly to provide some light hearted town encounters. Imagine outgoing dwarves, but no less greedy!
jradd777
03-13-08, 11:31 AM Well then I guess for NPCs the DC to lower the sale price would be 5 higher. Or a +5 if the DM decides on opposed rolls, as might be done when haggling. Good point though. There's a set DC when trying to improve reactions.

Its mostly to provide some light hearted town encounters. Imagine outgoing dwarves, but no less greedy!

Right, yeah, I suppose that makes sense too. Yeah, the DC to improve attitude while attempting to haggle is +5. Sounds good. Yeah, seems like they'd accomplish what you mean for them to.
Lappy9000
03-13-08, 01:25 PM I love the name prarie dwarves =P

Heck, I might use these guys even if I never get over my prejudice of sub-races.
ciaran
03-13-08, 07:23 PM Reworded some of it. I don't think they really need more. This is already optimised for the legandary shopkeeping campaigns.
jradd777
03-13-08, 07:59 PM Reworded some of it. I don't think they really need more. This is already optimised for the legandary shopkeeping campaigns.

Looks really clean, nice work!
ciaran
03-13-08, 09:27 PM Thank you for for your time and attention jradd777.
jradd777
03-14-08, 04:30 AM No problem, sometimes I literally go around and just read threads that don't have views to see if I can offer anything. Glad I could help at all, in this situation. I have a friend that loves dwarves and I have a friend who is always making up his own campaign settings and looking for interesting ideas for NPC concepts, etc. So it piqued my interest.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ciaran 03-11-08, 06:34 PM	This is an NPC race I often have my players run across in large towns and cities. I get a kick out of it. Although I doubt anyone would play as one... ** Long ago, before men dominated the world, the gods of dwarves and elves quarreled over the lot of their children. Even the friends and family of Corellon and Moradin, gods themselves, argued over what was best for their people. Eventually they all resolved their difference, in a manner, and things became as they are now. But the voice of one of Moradin's folk, some say a young cousin, was not heard. He said nothing and stood by his kin, as is the Dwarven way. Many thousands of years did he toil, all the while dreaming of a better life. Finally, he led those of like mind out from under the mountain and into the lands of the sun. Thus were born the Prairie Dwarves. Prairie Dwarves learned from the ways of Men and Elves and integrated themselves into this new world. They are friendly but shrewd in business - making fine shopkeepers - and their Prairie Wine is rivalled only by the skill of the elves and their sense of enterprise by humans. Lands Most Prairie Dwarves live in travelling caravans - never settling for long - or as small communities in human cities where they come in contact with the most trade and business oportunities. They are both open and closed to non-dwarves, in their own unique way. Some even live within other dwarven communities for parts of their lives, sometimes acting as emmisaries to other races for the purpose of diplomacy and trade. Alignment Lawfulful Good and Lawful Neutral are the dominant alignments of these people, although more unscrupulous merchants are not unheard of. Beliefs Prairie Dwarves, true to their roots, still hold all the Dwarven Pantheon in honor. They are proud of their heritage, where they came from, and the struggle of their people. Relations Language Prairie Dwarves speak the common speech of the land as well as they do their native tongue, a fact they are proud of. In any case, Dwarven has a much larger vocabulary of words for mining (important to gems and precious metals), manufacturing (important to salable goods) and protection (valuable to any merchant). With the abundance of other races they come in contact with they have the chance to learn most any. ** +2 Constitution, –2 Dexterity. Prairie Dwarves are stout and more social than their mountain kin, but slower on their feet Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations). Low-Light Vision: Prairie Dwarves can see twice as far as humans in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. Stability: A dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison. +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids. These foes have followed them even into these new lands. +2 racial bonus on Appraise, Profession and Knowledge (Local) checks. Prairie Dwarves excel at shopkeeping and trading. Canny Appraisal: Prairie Dwarves can appraise items as a full-round action instead of the one minute it usually takes and can take 10 even when being threatened or distracted. However, if the object is carefully handled or examined for one minute then he may roll d20 twice and use the better of the two (even if both rolls are worse than 10). Canny Appraisal also allows use of the Knowledge (Local) skill to determine the best place to buy and sell specific goods. Masterful Bartering: The Diplomacy DC to lower the price of an item an NPC Prairie Dwarf is selling is increased by 5. When opposed Diplomacy checks are made to haggle over price, a Prairie Dwarf instead receives a +5 to that roll. Only one of these bonuses may be used at a time, according to the situation, and do not stack. Note that the bonuses received are esentially cancelled out when one barters with another of his kind. Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Any. Favored Class: Rogue or Expert, as appropriate. A multiclass Prairie Dwarf’s rogue or expert class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
jradd777 03-12-08, 02:28 PM	+5 on opposed Diplomacy checks to raise or lower the price of most items. I love the race but... if it's NPC, it can't really use Diplomacy. That's not how Diplomacy works, you don't do opposed checks, unless you're playing by some sort of houserules. This would only apply if being used for a PC. PC's can't even make Diplomacy checks against other PC's. They don't have the attitude (hostile, indifferent, friendly) to be changed, and if they did, it wouldn't be right for a DM to simply change a PC's mind about how he feels about an NPC. Just give them the ability to always sell goods at a certain percentage above normal price. Anytime a Prairie Dwarf sells an item is it at 110% the normal price (or in another words 10% more than standard price). Something like that. Or their prices always start at 120% standard and they can be talked down from there or something, whatever you feel is appropriate to their mercantile skill. Great work though!
ciaran 03-12-08, 06:17 PM	Well then I guess for NPCs the DC to lower the sale price would be 5 higher. Or a +5 if the DM decides on opposed rolls, as might be done when haggling. Good point though. There's a set DC when trying to improve reactions. Its mostly to provide some light hearted town encounters. Imagine outgoing dwarves, but no less greedy!
jradd777 03-13-08, 11:31 AM	Well then I guess for NPCs the DC to lower the sale price would be 5 higher. Or a +5 if the DM decides on opposed rolls, as might be done when haggling. Good point though. There's a set DC when trying to improve reactions. Its mostly to provide some light hearted town encounters. Imagine outgoing dwarves, but no less greedy! Right, yeah, I suppose that makes sense too. Yeah, the DC to improve attitude while attempting to haggle is +5. Sounds good. Yeah, seems like they'd accomplish what you mean for them to.
Lappy9000 03-13-08, 01:25 PM	I love the name prarie dwarves =P Heck, I might use these guys even if I never get over my prejudice of sub-races.
ciaran 03-13-08, 07:23 PM	Reworded some of it. I don't think they really need more. This is already optimised for the legandary shopkeeping campaigns.
jradd777 03-13-08, 07:59 PM	Reworded some of it. I don't think they really need more. This is already optimised for the legandary shopkeeping campaigns. Looks really clean, nice work!
ciaran 03-13-08, 09:27 PM	Thank you for for your time and attention jradd777.
jradd777 03-14-08, 04:30 AM	No problem, sometimes I literally go around and just read threads that don't have views to see if I can offer anything. Glad I could help at all, in this situation. I have a friend that loves dwarves and I have a friend who is always making up his own campaign settings and looking for interesting ideas for NPC concepts, etc. So it piqued my interest.