Saeva: Small people with a proud martial lineage [Archive] - Wizards Community

Saeva: Small people with a proud martial lineage [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
AtsuiShoto
12-21-07, 02:07 AM For reference: "saeva" is plural, "saevar" is singular, and "saevan" in an adjective.

Saeva

The saeva, though somewhat diminutive compared to most humanoid races, are renowned as fierce fighters hailing from the most ancient regions of the world’s supposedly barbaric lands. Over the millennia the saeva have adapted to their position, surrounded by harsh and unforgiving peoples, to become powerfully effective in defense of their lives and prized territories. Their rite of “robur”, older even than their race’s history, toughens saevan children, ushering them into adulthood as already notable warriors. The saeva, however, are not an aggressive or savage people. They have a rich culture of art, complex politics, and a history of philosophers and orators. The rest of the world is ignorant of saevan intellectual and moral accomplishments, though, for the saeva are isolationists, and their territories are quite separate from those of the other civilized races.
A saevar must undergo the rite of “robur” to enter cultural and physical adulthood. Like a butterfly struggling from its chrysalis, or a chick breaking through its egg, robur is vital to a young saevar’s development. Robur initiates a cascade of hormones, much like other races’ puberty but accelerated through a few weeks rather than years. Even without guidance from his elders, a saevan child will often emerge from robur with a fairly well developed sense of self-awareness. With guidance through robur, he will become capable of astounding self-discipline and ability, making up for his slight features with surprising martial prowess.

Saevar Racial Traits:
-2 Con, +2 Cha
The Saeva are slight of build, but they have unusual strength of body and spirit.
Small size
20 feet base land speed
Robur: Robur makes saeva well-suited to peril-filled lives, so a saevar character gains 1000 bonus experience points and a single extra class level upon character creation. Therefore, a saevar begins play at ECL 2 while other races begin play at ECL 1. If he had guidance from his elders during robur, a saevar must take a single level of monk. If not, he must take a single level of commoner.
Favored class: Monk. Saeva are excellent martial artists.

So, what do you think? I'm a bit unsure about the robur mechanics, but I think it's a very cool idea to start play with a level of monk almost for free. I tried not to make the saeva mechanically pigeon-holed into being straight-up monks. Monk is one class where a single-level dip can be useful for just about any character, although spellcasters may lament losing a level. I hope the charisma bonus helps combat that issue, if only a little.

Ideas for drastic changes are welcomed, even to the fluff, but especially to the crunch.
The_Wyld
12-21-07, 03:55 AM For reference: "saeva" is plural, "saevar" is singular, and "saevan" in an adjective.

Saeva

The saeva, though somewhat diminutive compared to most humanoid races, are renowned as fierce fighters hailing from the most ancient regions of the world’s supposedly barbaric lands. Over the millennia the saeva have adapted to their position, surrounded by harsh and unforgiving peoples, to become powerfully effective in defense of their lives and prized territories. Their rite of “robur”, older even than their race’s history, toughens saevan children, ushering them into adulthood as already notable warriors. The saeva, however, are not an aggressive or savage people. They have a rich culture of art, complex politics, and a history of philosophers and orators. The rest of the world is ignorant of saevan intellectual and moral accomplishments, though, for the saeva are isolationists, and their territories are quite separate from those of the other civilized races.
A saevar must undergo the rite of “robur” to enter cultural and physical adulthood. Like a butterfly struggling from its chrysalis, or a chick breaking through its egg, robur is vital to a young saevar’s development. Robur initiates a cascade of hormones, much like other races’ puberty but accelerated through a few weeks rather than years. Even without guidance from his elders, a saevan child will often emerge from robur with a fairly well developed sense of self-awareness. With guidance through robur, he will become capable of astounding self-discipline and ability, making up for his slight features with surprising martial prowess.

Saevar Racial Traits:
-2 Con, +2 Cha
The Saeva are slight of build, but they have unusual strength of body and spirit.
Small size
20 feet base land speed
Robur: Robur makes saeva well-suited to peril-filled lives, so a saevar character gains 1000 bonus experience points and a single extra class level upon character creation. Therefore, a saevar begins play at ECL 2 while other races begin play at ECL 1. If he had guidance from his elders during robur, a saevar must take a single level of monk. If not, he must take a single level of commoner.
Favored class: Monk. Saeva are excellent martial artists.

So, what do you think? I'm a bit unsure about the robur mechanics, but I think it's a very cool idea to start play with a level of monk almost for free. I tried not to make the saeva mechanically pigeon-holed into being straight-up monks. Monk is one class where a single-level dip can be useful for just about any character, although spellcasters may lament losing a level. I hope the charisma bonus helps combat that issue, if only a little.

Ideas for drastic changes are welcomed, even to the fluff, but especially to the crunch.

I'd make it +2 con -2 Int, what with them being a martial race and all. Thats just a matter of opnion though. the bold sentance is complete garbage however, who would ever take a level of commoner?
Fireclave
12-21-07, 04:21 AM Favored class: Monk. Saeva are excellent martial artists.
Their stats don't reflect this. Not saying that a race's stats have to reflect it's favored class, but after all the hype in your flavor text, I'd expect their stats to reflect their martial heritage at least a little. Small size and, -2 con, and 20ft base land speed do not make for excellent martial artists. Maybe not bad martial artist, but not excellent by virtue of their race.

So, what do you think? I'm a bit unsure about the robur mechanics, but I think it's a very cool idea to start play with a level of monk almost for free.
It's not really free at all. It's basically racial HD, but with class features and counts toward multiclassing penalties. While not as bad as regular racial HD, it still consumes the opportunity cost of a racial HD.

Also, "free" bonus xp is just odd. If your intention is that race is an exception to the general guideline that all players should start at the same ECL, the benefit of +1000xp will be quickly outstripped in a few levels, and is all but nonexistent if a party starts in the mid to high levels.

I tried not to make the saeva mechanically pigeon-holed into being straight-up monks. Monk is one class where a single-level dip can be useful for just about any character
While you're intention may not have been to pigeon-hole into the monk class, that's exactly what you are doing. Ignoring for a moment that once you multiclass out of monk you can never return, what if I wanted my saeva to pursue martial arts through some venue other than monk, and instead preferred fighter, rogue, psywar, or martial adepts?

Instead, all saeva start out as monks from the get-go. If they want to persue to some other class, they're force to either do so earlier in the game and forever forgo being able to take levels of monk again, or be "stuck" as a monk until they gain everything they wanted to out of the monk class.

I suggest dropping Robar, and instead give emphasize their monk heritage by giving them one or more abilities that either synergizes well with the monk class, or work better when used by a monk. For example, a +1 bonus to AC while unarmored that stats with the monk's AC Bonus ability, or an racial bonus to Stunning Fist DC's, or even allow them to treat their unarmed strikes as +1 size.

:twocents:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AtsuiShoto 12-21-07, 02:07 AM	For reference: "saeva" is plural, "saevar" is singular, and "saevan" in an adjective. Saeva The saeva, though somewhat diminutive compared to most humanoid races, are renowned as fierce fighters hailing from the most ancient regions of the world’s supposedly barbaric lands. Over the millennia the saeva have adapted to their position, surrounded by harsh and unforgiving peoples, to become powerfully effective in defense of their lives and prized territories. Their rite of “robur”, older even than their race’s history, toughens saevan children, ushering them into adulthood as already notable warriors. The saeva, however, are not an aggressive or savage people. They have a rich culture of art, complex politics, and a history of philosophers and orators. The rest of the world is ignorant of saevan intellectual and moral accomplishments, though, for the saeva are isolationists, and their territories are quite separate from those of the other civilized races. A saevar must undergo the rite of “robur” to enter cultural and physical adulthood. Like a butterfly struggling from its chrysalis, or a chick breaking through its egg, robur is vital to a young saevar’s development. Robur initiates a cascade of hormones, much like other races’ puberty but accelerated through a few weeks rather than years. Even without guidance from his elders, a saevan child will often emerge from robur with a fairly well developed sense of self-awareness. With guidance through robur, he will become capable of astounding self-discipline and ability, making up for his slight features with surprising martial prowess. Saevar Racial Traits: -2 Con, +2 Cha The Saeva are slight of build, but they have unusual strength of body and spirit. Small size 20 feet base land speed Robur: Robur makes saeva well-suited to peril-filled lives, so a saevar character gains 1000 bonus experience points and a single extra class level upon character creation. Therefore, a saevar begins play at ECL 2 while other races begin play at ECL 1. If he had guidance from his elders during robur, a saevar must take a single level of monk. If not, he must take a single level of commoner. Favored class: Monk. Saeva are excellent martial artists. So, what do you think? I'm a bit unsure about the robur mechanics, but I think it's a very cool idea to start play with a level of monk almost for free. I tried not to make the saeva mechanically pigeon-holed into being straight-up monks. Monk is one class where a single-level dip can be useful for just about any character, although spellcasters may lament losing a level. I hope the charisma bonus helps combat that issue, if only a little. Ideas for drastic changes are welcomed, even to the fluff, but especially to the crunch.
The_Wyld 12-21-07, 03:55 AM	For reference: "saeva" is plural, "saevar" is singular, and "saevan" in an adjective. Saeva The saeva, though somewhat diminutive compared to most humanoid races, are renowned as fierce fighters hailing from the most ancient regions of the world’s supposedly barbaric lands. Over the millennia the saeva have adapted to their position, surrounded by harsh and unforgiving peoples, to become powerfully effective in defense of their lives and prized territories. Their rite of “robur”, older even than their race’s history, toughens saevan children, ushering them into adulthood as already notable warriors. The saeva, however, are not an aggressive or savage people. They have a rich culture of art, complex politics, and a history of philosophers and orators. The rest of the world is ignorant of saevan intellectual and moral accomplishments, though, for the saeva are isolationists, and their territories are quite separate from those of the other civilized races. A saevar must undergo the rite of “robur” to enter cultural and physical adulthood. Like a butterfly struggling from its chrysalis, or a chick breaking through its egg, robur is vital to a young saevar’s development. Robur initiates a cascade of hormones, much like other races’ puberty but accelerated through a few weeks rather than years. Even without guidance from his elders, a saevan child will often emerge from robur with a fairly well developed sense of self-awareness. With guidance through robur, he will become capable of astounding self-discipline and ability, making up for his slight features with surprising martial prowess. Saevar Racial Traits: -2 Con, +2 Cha The Saeva are slight of build, but they have unusual strength of body and spirit. Small size 20 feet base land speed Robur: Robur makes saeva well-suited to peril-filled lives, so a saevar character gains 1000 bonus experience points and a single extra class level upon character creation. Therefore, a saevar begins play at ECL 2 while other races begin play at ECL 1. If he had guidance from his elders during robur, a saevar must take a single level of monk. If not, he must take a single level of commoner. Favored class: Monk. Saeva are excellent martial artists. So, what do you think? I'm a bit unsure about the robur mechanics, but I think it's a very cool idea to start play with a level of monk almost for free. I tried not to make the saeva mechanically pigeon-holed into being straight-up monks. Monk is one class where a single-level dip can be useful for just about any character, although spellcasters may lament losing a level. I hope the charisma bonus helps combat that issue, if only a little. Ideas for drastic changes are welcomed, even to the fluff, but especially to the crunch. I'd make it +2 con -2 Int, what with them being a martial race and all. Thats just a matter of opnion though. the bold sentance is complete garbage however, who would ever take a level of commoner?
Fireclave 12-21-07, 04:21 AM	Favored class: Monk. Saeva are excellent martial artists. Their stats don't reflect this. Not saying that a race's stats have to reflect it's favored class, but after all the hype in your flavor text, I'd expect their stats to reflect their martial heritage at least a little. Small size and, -2 con, and 20ft base land speed do not make for excellent martial artists. Maybe not bad martial artist, but not excellent by virtue of their race. So, what do you think? I'm a bit unsure about the robur mechanics, but I think it's a very cool idea to start play with a level of monk almost for free. It's not really free at all. It's basically racial HD, but with class features and counts toward multiclassing penalties. While not as bad as regular racial HD, it still consumes the opportunity cost of a racial HD. Also, "free" bonus xp is just odd. If your intention is that race is an exception to the general guideline that all players should start at the same ECL, the benefit of +1000xp will be quickly outstripped in a few levels, and is all but nonexistent if a party starts in the mid to high levels. I tried not to make the saeva mechanically pigeon-holed into being straight-up monks. Monk is one class where a single-level dip can be useful for just about any character While you're intention may not have been to pigeon-hole into the monk class, that's exactly what you are doing. Ignoring for a moment that once you multiclass out of monk you can never return, what if I wanted my saeva to pursue martial arts through some venue other than monk, and instead preferred fighter, rogue, psywar, or martial adepts? Instead, all saeva start out as monks from the get-go. If they want to persue to some other class, they're force to either do so earlier in the game and forever forgo being able to take levels of monk again, or be "stuck" as a monk until they gain everything they wanted to out of the monk class. I suggest dropping Robar, and instead give emphasize their monk heritage by giving them one or more abilities that either synergizes well with the monk class, or work better when used by a monk. For example, a +1 bonus to AC while unarmored that stats with the monk's AC Bonus ability, or an racial bonus to Stunning Fist DC's, or even allow them to treat their unarmed strikes as +1 size. :twocents: