Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tectorman 02-27-07, 06:24 PM	According to your own opinions (and especially the Yabba the What feature point system), are these races within the LA +1 range? Felinis-Catfolk Racial Traits • +4 Dexterity, +2 Charisma. • Medium size • Humanoid (Catfolk) • A felinis-catfolk’s base land speed is 40 feet. • Low-Light Vision: Felinis-catfolk can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. • Racial Skills: Felinis-catfolk have a +2 racial bonus on Balance, Listen, and Move Silently checks. • Cat-Fall (Ex): Whenever a felinis-catfolk takes damage from falling, they take damage as if the fall were 10 feet shorter than it actually is provided that the total fall distance is over 10 feet. {This ability does not require a wall (or any kind of vertical surface) to work. A felinis-catfolk with the Slow Fall ability falling near a wall uses the Slow Fall in place of this ability but may still use this ability whenever falling not within arm’s reach of a wall. Using the Jump skill or the Tumble skill takes place in addition to this ability.} • Nail-Claws (Ex): A felinis-catfolk’s unarmed strikes may deal bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage at their option. While using their unarmed strikes in this way, they deal no damage to targets with an armor bonus of +1 or higher or a natural armor bonus of +3 or higher. Gloves and boots not specifically made to accommodates a felinis-catfolk’s appendages interfere with this ability. This ability interacts with the Versatile Unarmed Strike feat in an unusual way; a character with the nail-claws and the VUS feat may deal bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage at their option (not limited to swift action) and will be able to do this regardless of their apparel (gloves, etc.) or their opponent's Armor or Natural Armor, as normal{A felinis-catfolk’s unarmed strikes will still provoke attacks of opportunity as normal (assuming they don’t have Improved Unarmed Strike or a Monk’s unarmed strike) and still only do nonlethal damage (lethal damage with a -4 penalty to attack).} • +1 natural armor bonus. • +2 racial bonus on saving throws against Enchantment (Compulsion) spells and spell-like effects. • -2 racial penalty on saving throws against Enchantment (Charm) spells and spell-like effects. {Note: Enchantment spells and spell-like effects with neither subschool descriptor are treated as normal.} • +8 morale bonus on Will saves against the Despair (Su) ability (such as that used by mummies, mummy lords, mummified creatures [Savage Species template], and the crawling apocalypse [from Sandstorm]). • Water Aversion: When splashed (drenched, soaked, moistened, made wet, squirted, showered, rained on, etc.) with water (or any liquid fluid that has no other effect on them other than making them wet [acids, glues, and the like do not count]) in a manner not of their own volition (to be described shortly), a felinis-catfolk takes a -1 morale penalty on attack rolls, their Dexterity bonus to AC, and their Reflex and Will saves for 3 rounds. After this, they make a Will save (DC 16). Success results in the penalties being removed, and failure means the penalties remain for another 3 rounds, then they’re removed automatically. Multiple splashings in this manner result in the duration(s) being extended, but not in the penalties increasing. {Being splashed with a bucket of water is not of their own volition; being caught in a sudden downpour is not; being pushed over the side of a ship is not; jumping in willingly is of their own volition; jumping in a lake to avoid a dragon’s fire breath even when they’d rather not is of their own volition; seeing it raining and deciding to walk outside is; going swimming is; and so on in that fashion. Being splashed is a separate action: being pushed over a ship would result in the penalties, but staying in the water thereafter would not; being caught in a downpour would result in the penalties, but only for the first 3 to 6 rounds; being splashed with a bucket of water 3 or 4 times would result in 3 or 4 separate penalties; and so on in that fashion. Being attacked by a water elemental provokes these penalties each time it attacks; attacking a water elemental (even with an unarmed strike) does not.} • Automatic Languages: Common, Feline. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Halfling, Sylvan. • Favored Class: Ranger or Rogue. A player with a felinis-catfolk character picks one of these two classes to be his or her specific felinis-catfolk character’s favored class the first time he or she takes a level in either of these classes and may not change this choice later. Level adjustment +1? Yes, another cat race. So, to you with the water guns, I say thee: Bring it! I have this race as having a tail and all the implied abilities that a tail would grant, such as the Cat-Fall and the +2 to Balance. The description in Races of the Wild says that their fingernails are longer and sharper than a human's, but that they still deal unarmed strikes as a human. That's what the Nail-Claws fix (sort of). I added the differential effectiveness of Enchantment spells to reflect a cat's mentality. Suffice to say, in Star Trek TNG when Worf told Spot to "Come here!", Spot deigned to look at Worf before promptly ignoring him. Thus, Catfolk are resistant to compulsion. On the other hand, if Worf had had a piece of string, Spot would've been off the bed in a heartbeat. Thus, Catfolk are vulnerable to charms. I added the bonus on saves against the Despair ability that mummies use purely as an homage to "The Mummy" (the one starring Brendan Fraiser). The Water Aversion is only there to balance that ability; if I find that my build doesn't require Water Aversion to remain an LA +1 race, then I'll just get rid of it altogether. The optional favored class is there because I've read the description in Miniatures Handbook for the Catfolk race, I've looked over the official list of their racial traits, and I honestly think someone just flipped a coin, it landed on tails, and they decided to make Ranger the favored class for Catfolk. Sapien Racial Traits • Medium size • Humanoid (Human) • A sapien’s base land speed is 30 feet. • Racial Skills: Sapiens have a +2 racial bonus on Concentration and Intimidate checks. • Exotic Weapon Proficiency (any): A sapien may choose any one exotic weapon he or she is not already proficient with and take this feat for that weapon. • Chohenshin (Ex): A sapien may take a standard action to activate this ability a number of times per day equal to their character level divided by 4 (minimum 1/day). The effects of this ability last a number of rounds equal to their character level +1. Assuming this form (known as Super Sapien {you may laugh now}) is a standard action, dismissing it is a free action (either by expiring the form’s duration or at will). At 10th character level, assuming the form becomes a swift action. After the form is dismissed, it may not be used again for a number of rounds equal to the number of rounds the last form was used -1. While a Super Sapien, a sapien gains the following changes: • (Ex) type becomes Outsider (native) • (Ex) he or she may allocate 1 set of 2 ability points to any ability score of his or her choice (as part of the action of becoming a Super Sapien); changing the ability score that this bonus goes to is a swift action after the form is assumed; at 10th character level, the sapien gains an additional set of 2 ability points; he or she may (but is not required to) allocate both sets of bonuses to the same ability score; changing one set or both sets is still a swift action • (Su) all natural attacks (unarmed strikes, natural attacks granted by classes such as Dragon Disciple, and so on) are treated as being one size category larger (this effect stacks with that of Improved Natural Attack, a Monk’s unarmed damage progression, Superior Unarmed Strike, and similar effects) (Note: this effect by itself in no way means that a Super Sapien doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity or that they may switch between lethal and nonlethal damage at their leisure, simply that they use a larger damage dice) • (Ex) fatigue and exhaustion effects do not take place (spells and spell-like abilites with these effects continue to function until the expiration of their duration, but the effects simply do not happen) • (Su) light aura similar to torch (including vulnerability to darkness and such); provides clear illumination out to 10 feet and shadowy illumination out to 20 feet; at 10th character level, provides clear illumination out to 20 feet and shadowy illumination out to 40 ft; makes Hide and Move Silently checks virtually impossible (DC to hear whooshing sound effect of aura equivalent to people talking; hiding is actually possible [just like a very bright torch elemental can hide]) • Automatic Languages: Common Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages). • Favored Class: Monk. Level adjustment +1? 'Nuff said. Let me know about the balance, please. Sylph-Birdfolk Racial Traits • +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution. • Medium size • Humanoid (birdfolk) • A sylph-birdfolk’s base land speed is 30 feet. • Wing-Aided Movement: When not wearing a shield or holding anything in their hands, a sylph-birdfolk can use their arm wings to gain a +6 racial bonus on Jump checks. • Flight (Ex): A sylph-birdfolk is able to fly at a speed of 40 feet (average manueverability) when wearing no armor or light armor, not carrying a medium or heavy load, not wearing a shield and when not holding anything in their hands. They are also incapable of using their hands to cast spells with somatic components nor can they use them to hold or manipulate material or focus (divine or arcane) components. Their foot-talons are capable of holding things while flying, however, so as long as they began flying with the necessary components in hand, er, foot, they don't have a problem. • Unerring Direction: Sylph-birdfolk have an instinctive sense of which direction is north, even when they are underground or otherwise unable to see the sky or other visual cues. Beyond the Material Plane, this ability doesn’t function. • Low-Light Vision: Sylph-birdfolk can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. • Racial Skills: Sylph-birdfolk have a +2 racial bonus on Climb, Spot and Perform (sing) checks. • Nail-Claws (Ex): A sylph-birdfolk’s unarmed strikes may deal bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage at their option. While using their unarmed strikes in this way, they deal no damage to targets with an armor bonus of +1 or higher or a natural armor bonus of +3 or higher. Gloves and boots not specifically made to accommodates a sylph-birdfolk’s appendages interfere with this ability. This ability interacts with the Versatile Unarmed Strike feat in an unusual way; a character with the nail-claws and the VUS feat may deal bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage at their option (not limited to swift action) and will be able to do this regardless of their apparel (gloves, etc.) or their opponent's Armor or Natural Armor, as normal{A sylph-birdfolk’s unarmed strikes will still provoke attacks of opportunity as normal (assuming they don’t have Improved Unarmed Strike or a Monk’s unarmed strike) and still only do nonlethal damage (lethal damage with a -4 penalty to attack).} • Automatic Languages: Common, Birdspeak. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan. • Favored Class: Scout or Bard. A player with a sylph-birdfolk character picks one of these two classes to be his or her specific sylph-birdfolk character’s favored class the first time he or she takes a level in either of these classes and may not change this choice later. Level adjustment +1? Also, a sylph-birdfolk qualifies for a PrC virtually identical to the Stormtalon PrC in Races of the Wild. The prerequisites are the same, except that he must be a sylph-birdfolk, not a raptoran (Duh!). The PrC class abilities are the same and appear at the same levels with the following exceptions. At 1st level, a sylph-birdfolk Stormtalon may use the Foot Talons class ability as described or he may choose to spend two hours a day and be able to use his hands as claws. Since he can't use his hands for anything but flying while he's flying, and he can't yet use his foot talons on the ground, this gives him the option of 2 claw attacks while grounded. At 7th level, a sylph-birdfolk gains the Improved Foot Talons as described except he retains his option to use his hands as claws, thus giving him 1 set of 4 natural attacks (not quite sure how that works out). This race is the D&D version of the creature I have pictured in my DeviantArt gallery (my user names both here and there are the same) called the Sylph. I don't really know how to post hypertext links, but the address is this: <http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/47764463/?qo=17&q=by%3Atectorman&qh=sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps> I created this race before I read Races of the Wild (actually, before I ever played D&D, period) and I'd prefer to be marginally original and use my own creation. The idea for this race comes from Sylphemon from Digimon Season Two (really). I would also like to know what the Yabba the What feature point system would say to replacing the Centaur and Minotaur racial features of being large with being Medium with Powerful Build (specifically, if doing so would be enough to drop them down an LA or two [or even if it would increase their LAs {shudder}]). I ask because to me, a Large Centaur would be about like the one in the first Harry Potter movie (which looked way too big [tall, really]), and I prefer the ones depicted like in the Chronicles of Narnia (just taller than human). Also, I'm a big fan of Gonzalo "Chalosan" Reyes's work (for reference, just Google "Las Lindas") and I'd rather use the cow people in his comics and drawings (slightly taller than human average) without going to the trouble of creating a new race.
Crimson_Concerto 02-27-07, 06:38 PM	All seem pretty much around your estimated LA +1 to me. :)
Tectorman 03-01-07, 07:02 PM	I thought so, too, but I really need to see the Yabba the What feature point system applied to these races as I don't know how to do it myself. Reason: the Water Aversion for the Catfolk is good for rp purposes, but those can be acted out anyway. If the race is LA +1 balanced without that feature, then I'd rather get rid of it. Also, as said above, I'm rewriting both the Centaurs and the Minotaurs to be Medium Powerful Build, and I need to know how that affects their ECL (is it enough to make their LA go down or what?). Incidentally, it may help to say that I also houserule (even though I can easily come up with a logical RAW justification of it) that Medium Powerful Build Centaurs and Minotaurs deal natural attack damage as Large creatures (maybe now I'll get more responses to this thread). [I]{Don't let the fancy statements above fool you; this is 62% just a bump.} {Uh oh, maybe some overzealous humorless rulemonger will take that last bit seriously. Run for the hills!}
Crimson_Concerto 03-01-07, 08:13 PM	{Don't let the fancy statements above fool you; this is 62% just a bump.}Heh, that's a weird thing about this board. Your topic can be viewed 300 times, but only 2 people will actually respond. :P
Tectorman 03-08-07, 02:54 PM	Bump! ... But seriously, I have some feat ideas specially made for the Sapien race I created (I would post this in the Feats section, but then no one would have any reference to what a Sapien is). I've got them (supposed) based on DBZ-style abilities tied into the six primary ability scores (Ah ha! Maybe now that I've mentioned DBZ, some of ya'll who view and don't comment will say something). What I need to know is stuff like prerequisites, tweaks, and such For Strength, a feat that allows you to make a Bull Rush attempt on all enemies within your immediate vicinity. First, you allocate all of your available bonus ability points to Strength. Then, as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, you let out a yell, flaring your light aura, and Bull Rushing all enemies within a 15-foot radius. They act as though they were bull rushed by a creature of your size and strength. You roll separately for each opponent (it's assumed that you're forgoing bull rushing your allies). If they fail, they get pushed back 5 feet. If you fail, they remain where they are, and you remain where you are. This ability is a supernatural effect. Using this ability uses up 1 round off of your remaining Super Sapien duration (in addition to the round used up for being a Super Sapien, anyway). (This is basically when Goku uses a simple little kiai to blast back Burter and Jeice.) For Dexterity, a feat that allows you some of the same benefits as the haste spell. First, you allocate all of your available bonus ability points to Dexterity. Then, as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you use up 1 round off of your remaining Super Sapien duration (beyond the 1 round used up for being a Super Sapien). This is a supernatural effect. For the remainder of the round, you gain one of the following benefits: either an extra attack during a full-round action, or a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves, or a +30 foot increase in all of the Super Sapien's forms of movement up to twice his normal speed. (Super Saiyan high-speed movement, 'nuff said.) For Constitution, a feat that gives you the stability of a dwarf. You allocate all of your available bonus ability points to Constitution. Then, as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you use up 1 round off of your remaining Super Sapien duration (beyond the 1 round used up for being a Super Sapien). This is an extraordinary effect. For the remainder of the round, you gain a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped. {I'm also tempted to make this make the Super Sapien immovable, as the Mountain tattoo for the Tattooed Monk in Complete Warrior.} (This is for every time a Super Saiyan attempts to tough out an attack.) For Intelligence, a feat that gives you a special insight into an opponent's defenses. You allocate all of your available bonus ability points to Intelligence. Then, as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you use up 1 round off of your remaining Super Sapien duration (beyond the 1 round used up for being a Super Sapien). This is an extraordinary effect. For the remainder of the round, one opponent that you designate is treated as being flat-footed with respect to you. (This has no actual DBZ reference.) For Wisdom, a feat that allows you to suppress all of the effects of the Super Sapien state. You allocate all of your available bonus ability points to Wisdom. This sacrifices 1 round off of your remaining Super Sapien duration (beyond the 1 round used up for being a Super Sapien). Then, for the next two rounds, you may remain a Super Sapien without your duration expiring further. You sacrifice the light aura (but become able to hide and move silently as normal), your heightened natural attack damage, and your bonus ability points; you remain a native outsider and remain immune to fatigue and exhaustion. You may also, at any time before your two free rounds are used up, sacrifice an additional round off of your Super Sapien duration (without having to power back up and allocate your bonus ability points to Wisdom) and remain suppressed for an additional two rounds. Beyond the total number of rounds remaining in your Super Sapien duration, there is no set limit of how many times you may do this. (This is to reflect Goku and Gohan's attainment of Perfect Super Saiyan.) For Charisma, you gain a feat that allows you to dazzle all nearby creatures. You allocate all of your available bonus ability points to Charisma. Then, as a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, you use up 1 round off of your remaining Super Sapien duration (beyond the 1 round used up for being a Super Sapien). This is a supernatural effect. All creatures (including your allies) become dazzled as though under the effect of the flare spell, no save. (This is the Solar Flare.) Comments, critiques, suggested prerequisites (please no "ability to cast 1st-level spells" and stuff like that)?