Nomides: First Attempt at a Race (PEACH) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Nomides: First Attempt at a Race (PEACH) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Janus Rook
04-11-07, 02:35 AM Hey everyone, I decided to finally take a stab at this so tell me what you think, I'm trying to make a low LA (+0 being the optimum) race that is unique, flavorful and balanced.

-------------------------------------

The Nomides (pronounced No-Me-Days)

Personality: Nomides are a humanoid race that believe in duty to family, have a good business sense, and follow a belief in steady expansionism.

Physical Description: Nomides stand between 5'4 and 5'10 inches tall and typically weigh between 90 to 140 pounds. From a distane they look like short wiry humans, but up close there are some marked differences. For starters on their hands they have sharp fingernails that look filed to a point. These "claws" are used for burrowing through even the hardest rock. On their face they lack eyebrows but in their place are two identical black patches around the eye socket that always appear moist and are slightly sticky to the touch. Other than the sticky quality these patches are similar to those of a racoon or panda. Their tongues also have bluish-black patches on them but these are as unique as fingerprints, and vary from individual to individual.Their hair is always black, and grows similar to human hair. Their skin ranges from bronze to pale, but as they are more comfortable under the earth the race tends toward the lighter spectrum. Their eyes are always brown but vary in hue from nearly black to a hazel color.

Alignment: Nomides don't have a preference towards good or evil as a race but they do seem to prefer law over chaos. As very few of them break their family and tribal bonds.

Nomide Racial Traits

Medium Size Humanoid
Base Land Speed 30 ft.
Darkvision 30ft. (Ex)
Superior Light Sensitivity (Ex): Nomides are dazzled in any form of sunlight or within the radius of any extreme brightness.
Ocular Mucous (Ex): As a move action a Nomide may 1/day excrete a blackish mucous over their eyes from specialized pores in it's eye patches that shield it from sunlight. This negates the effects of its Superior Light Sensitivity as well as the effects of it's darkvision. To remove the mucous takes a move action and will negate the effects of this ability. A Nomide may use this ability multiple times a day even if it has all ready used it. However every additional time a Nomide makes use the Nomide is considered dehydrated and takes all the appropriate penalties.
Water Scent (Sp): As a full-round action a nomide may cast Locate Water as a first level druid as many times a day as their wisdom modifier.
Water Taste (Ex): A nomide can tell by taste the origin of any body of water as long as they are familiar with it's original location.
Claws (Ex): A nomide has 2 natural claw attacks that deal 1 damage (per claw attack) on a successful hit. The claw attack is treated as adamantine for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction.

In addition to these qualities there are three different varieties of Nomides, they are all one people but come from different regions and thus have vastly different experiences. The varieties are desert, mountain and forest Nomides and they have the following qualities:

Desert: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Geography) and Survival checks.
Mountain: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Nobility and Royalty) and Craft(Stonework) checks.
Forest: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Nature) and Handle Animal checks.

Questions and Comments are appreciated and I thank everyone in advance for them.
Thomar_of_Uointer
04-11-07, 02:54 AM Medium Size Humanoid
Base Land Speed 30 ft.
Darkvision 30ft. (Ex)
Superior Light Sensitivity (Ex): Nomides are dazzled in any form of sunlight or within the radius of any extreme brightness.
Ocular Mucous (Ex): As a move action a Nomide may 1/day excrete a blackish mucous over their eyes from specialized pores in it's eye patches that shield it from sunlight. This negates the effects of its Superior Light Sensitivity as well as the effects of it's darkvision. To remove the mucous takes a move action and will negate the effects of this ability. A Nomide may use this ability multiple times a day even if it has all ready used it. However every additional time a Nomide makes use the Nomide is considered dehydrated and takes all the appropriate penalties.
Water Scent (Sp): As a full-round action a nomide may cast Locate Water as a first level druid as many times a day as their wisdom modifier.
Water Taste (Ex): A nomide can tell by taste the origin of any body of water as long as they are familiar with it's original location.
Claws (Ex): A nomide has 2 natural claw attacks that deal 1 damage (per claw attack) on a successful hit. The claw attack is treated as adamantine for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction.

In addition to these qualities there are three different varieties of Nomides, they are all one people but come from different regions and thus have vastly different experiences. The varieties are desert, mountain and forest Nomides and they have the following qualities:

Desert: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Geography) and Survival checks.
Mountain: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Nobility and Royalty) and Craft(Stonework) checks.
Forest: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Nature) and Handle Animal checks.

Questions and Comments are appreciated and I thank everyone in advance for them.

Read up on dehydration, apparently you haven't.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#starvationAndThirst

I don't know of the locate water spell. Do you mean locate object specific to water? Why not combine the water abilities into a stonecunning-esque ability to detect bodies of water within a mile or a few miles, and the ability to recognize familiar bodies of freshwater (everything goes into the ocean) based on their source?

The claw attack is very interesting. I like it. It lets them cut up objects too, right?

All-in-all, assuming I didn't misinterpret the abilities I took issue with, LA +0. Good job! You can probably get away with darkvision 60'. Why not give them some racial ability modifiers too? +2 Con -2 Dex or Str would be fine.
Janus Rook
04-11-07, 03:34 AM Read up on dehydration, apparently you haven't.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environmen...ationAndThirst

Actually I wanted it to be as if they had just failed their first constitution check (i.e. officially dehydrated). Perhaps I should just have them become fatigued instead?

I don't know of the locate water spell.

It's in Sandstorm. Level 1 spell.

Why not combine the water abilities into a stonecunning-esque ability to detect bodies of water within a mile or a few miles, and the ability to recognize familiar bodies of freshwater (everything goes into the ocean) based on their source?

That's kind of what I was going for, basically I wanted this scenario.

"This spring's water flows from the Silvershine river, we must be near Eagle's Pass."

And......

"I can sense an underground lake below us, the Aboleth can't be far."

Oh and everything goes into the ocean, but the ability only discerns where the water comes from, not where it's going. Basically they taste the minute mineral and biological materials that vary from stream to stream, which is why they have to be familiar with the water's origin.

The claw attack is very interesting. I like it. It lets them cut up objects too, right?

That's it's primary funtion, and the reason I didn't have the claw attack be the standard 1d4 damage.

Why not give them some racial ability modifiers too? +2 Con -2 Dex or Str would be fine.

Because with the concept I had, it just didn't feel right. I felt that they weren't superior or inferior to humans in any physical or mental ability, so I just left it alone. Besides I don't think a non-human race needs to have ability modifiers for it to be "different".

I was thinking of giving them 60 ft. darkvision but thought it might be a bit too powerful, but if everyone else seems to think it's all right I'll change it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Janus Rook 04-11-07, 02:35 AM	Hey everyone, I decided to finally take a stab at this so tell me what you think, I'm trying to make a low LA (+0 being the optimum) race that is unique, flavorful and balanced. ------------------------------------- The Nomides (pronounced No-Me-Days) Personality: Nomides are a humanoid race that believe in duty to family, have a good business sense, and follow a belief in steady expansionism. Physical Description: Nomides stand between 5'4 and 5'10 inches tall and typically weigh between 90 to 140 pounds. From a distane they look like short wiry humans, but up close there are some marked differences. For starters on their hands they have sharp fingernails that look filed to a point. These "claws" are used for burrowing through even the hardest rock. On their face they lack eyebrows but in their place are two identical black patches around the eye socket that always appear moist and are slightly sticky to the touch. Other than the sticky quality these patches are similar to those of a racoon or panda. Their tongues also have bluish-black patches on them but these are as unique as fingerprints, and vary from individual to individual.Their hair is always black, and grows similar to human hair. Their skin ranges from bronze to pale, but as they are more comfortable under the earth the race tends toward the lighter spectrum. Their eyes are always brown but vary in hue from nearly black to a hazel color. Alignment: Nomides don't have a preference towards good or evil as a race but they do seem to prefer law over chaos. As very few of them break their family and tribal bonds. Nomide Racial Traits Medium Size Humanoid Base Land Speed 30 ft. Darkvision 30ft. (Ex) Superior Light Sensitivity (Ex): Nomides are dazzled in any form of sunlight or within the radius of any extreme brightness. Ocular Mucous (Ex): As a move action a Nomide may 1/day excrete a blackish mucous over their eyes from specialized pores in it's eye patches that shield it from sunlight. This negates the effects of its Superior Light Sensitivity as well as the effects of it's darkvision. To remove the mucous takes a move action and will negate the effects of this ability. A Nomide may use this ability multiple times a day even if it has all ready used it. However every additional time a Nomide makes use the Nomide is considered dehydrated and takes all the appropriate penalties. Water Scent (Sp): As a full-round action a nomide may cast Locate Water as a first level druid as many times a day as their wisdom modifier. Water Taste (Ex): A nomide can tell by taste the origin of any body of water as long as they are familiar with it's original location. Claws (Ex): A nomide has 2 natural claw attacks that deal 1 damage (per claw attack) on a successful hit. The claw attack is treated as adamantine for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. In addition to these qualities there are three different varieties of Nomides, they are all one people but come from different regions and thus have vastly different experiences. The varieties are desert, mountain and forest Nomides and they have the following qualities: Desert: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Geography) and Survival checks. Mountain: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Nobility and Royalty) and Craft(Stonework) checks. Forest: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Nature) and Handle Animal checks. Questions and Comments are appreciated and I thank everyone in advance for them.
Thomar_of_Uointer 04-11-07, 02:54 AM	Medium Size Humanoid Base Land Speed 30 ft. Darkvision 30ft. (Ex) Superior Light Sensitivity (Ex): Nomides are dazzled in any form of sunlight or within the radius of any extreme brightness. Ocular Mucous (Ex): As a move action a Nomide may 1/day excrete a blackish mucous over their eyes from specialized pores in it's eye patches that shield it from sunlight. This negates the effects of its Superior Light Sensitivity as well as the effects of it's darkvision. To remove the mucous takes a move action and will negate the effects of this ability. A Nomide may use this ability multiple times a day even if it has all ready used it. However every additional time a Nomide makes use the Nomide is considered dehydrated and takes all the appropriate penalties. Water Scent (Sp): As a full-round action a nomide may cast Locate Water as a first level druid as many times a day as their wisdom modifier. Water Taste (Ex): A nomide can tell by taste the origin of any body of water as long as they are familiar with it's original location. Claws (Ex): A nomide has 2 natural claw attacks that deal 1 damage (per claw attack) on a successful hit. The claw attack is treated as adamantine for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. In addition to these qualities there are three different varieties of Nomides, they are all one people but come from different regions and thus have vastly different experiences. The varieties are desert, mountain and forest Nomides and they have the following qualities: Desert: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Geography) and Survival checks. Mountain: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Nobility and Royalty) and Craft(Stonework) checks. Forest: +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Nature) and Handle Animal checks. Questions and Comments are appreciated and I thank everyone in advance for them. Read up on dehydration, apparently you haven't. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#starvationAndThirst I don't know of the locate water spell. Do you mean locate object specific to water? Why not combine the water abilities into a stonecunning-esque ability to detect bodies of water within a mile or a few miles, and the ability to recognize familiar bodies of freshwater (everything goes into the ocean) based on their source? The claw attack is very interesting. I like it. It lets them cut up objects too, right? All-in-all, assuming I didn't misinterpret the abilities I took issue with, LA +0. Good job! You can probably get away with darkvision 60'. Why not give them some racial ability modifiers too? +2 Con -2 Dex or Str would be fine.
Janus Rook 04-11-07, 03:34 AM	Read up on dehydration, apparently you haven't. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environmen...ationAndThirst Actually I wanted it to be as if they had just failed their first constitution check (i.e. officially dehydrated). Perhaps I should just have them become fatigued instead? I don't know of the locate water spell. It's in Sandstorm. Level 1 spell. Why not combine the water abilities into a stonecunning-esque ability to detect bodies of water within a mile or a few miles, and the ability to recognize familiar bodies of freshwater (everything goes into the ocean) based on their source? That's kind of what I was going for, basically I wanted this scenario. "This spring's water flows from the Silvershine river, we must be near Eagle's Pass." And...... "I can sense an underground lake below us, the Aboleth can't be far." Oh and everything goes into the ocean, but the ability only discerns where the water comes from, not where it's going. Basically they taste the minute mineral and biological materials that vary from stream to stream, which is why they have to be familiar with the water's origin. The claw attack is very interesting. I like it. It lets them cut up objects too, right? That's it's primary funtion, and the reason I didn't have the claw attack be the standard 1d4 damage. Why not give them some racial ability modifiers too? +2 Con -2 Dex or Str would be fine. Because with the concept I had, it just didn't feel right. I felt that they weren't superior or inferior to humans in any physical or mental ability, so I just left it alone. Besides I don't think a non-human race needs to have ability modifiers for it to be "different". I was thinking of giving them 60 ft. darkvision but thought it might be a bit too powerful, but if everyone else seems to think it's all right I'll change it.