Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lappy9000 03-31-08, 12:49 PM	Don't get me wrong, I love warforged, but I needed something with a slightly different flavor for my campaign. Yup, a +0 base race who are constructs with good Charisma scores. (They're also the most campaign-specific base race I've made, but all you really need to know is that the Lords of Mechanus are powerful wizards who took control over the continent long ago, but rule no more). Soulstitched Originally designed as mindless servants to the mighty Lords of Mechanus, the soulstitched rapidly began to develop sentience of their own. Their disorderly nature soon clashed with the interests of their masters and the soulstitched were cast off, seen as failed creations. Now that the reign of the Lords of Mechanus is no more, the soulstitched now have turned to their own pursuits. Personality: Since they were originally developed as upgraded flesh golems, it is somewhat ironic that the soulstitched attained such a captivating presence. Though the exact reasons remain unknown, many arcane scholars believe that the combination of multiple consciousnesses, in addition to the magnetic Lords of Mechanus, led the soulstitched to develop a very powerful aura. Despite their appearance, soulstitched carry themselves respectfully and are naturally, or unnaturally perhaps, extroverted. Physical Description: Soulstitched look eerily similar to flesh golems, though their face reveals intelligence far beyond that of their mindless predecessors. Soulstitched follow no uniform body type, with their figure varying widely. Some have oversized or undersized appendages or patches of various skin colors, even patches of different hued hair. The only things standard about them are their creation from purely humans, and a sense of gender within the race. Therefore, while the soulstitched are technically sexless, they do have clearly defined male or female genders. They also weigh significantly less than golems, weighing little more than a human of the same height. Relations: At a distant glance, a soulstitched may seem nothing more than a hideous flesh golem, which may put off other races at first. However, any closer inspection shows that they have an immensely powerful presence, and easily make allies from other races. Soulstitched get along well with other outgoing races like Halflings and gnomes, and harbor no ill will to humans, excluding former members of the Lords of Mechanus. However there is something inheritably ‘unnatural’ about them, something which elves are quite put off by. Dwarves often find soulstitched to be annoying at best, and downright infuriating at worst. Alignment: Soulstitched lean strongly toward chaos, a fact that disconnected them from their lawful masters. Religion: Many soulstitched find no use for religion, but some seek a sense of control in their lives and will dedicate themselves to, often or not, a chaotic deity. Language: Soulstitched speak common, the language of their creators and have no native tongue of their own. Names: Since they are a race without oral or written traditions, names are no more regular among the soulstitched than their appearance. They do like names, however, and will often adopt a nickname from another race and adjust the lettering of the name to their pleasing. Adventurers: Magic makes us everything about the soulstitched. Their bodies are literally full of arcane energy, and are experts at manipulating their inner power. Most become sorcerers or bards, but the occasional soulstitched will become a wizard despite past experiences with the Lords of Mechanus. Few soulstitched take up arms in the martial classes and fewer become users of divine magic. Soulstitched are almost never druids, sense there is almost nothing inheritably natural about them. Soulstitched Racial Traits • Living Construct Subtype (EX): Soulstitched are constructs with the living construct subtype. A living construct is a created being given sentience and free will through powerful and complex enchantments. Soulstitched are living constructs that combine aspects of both constructs and living creatures, as detailed below. Features: As a living construct, a soulstitched has the following features. -A soulstitched derives its Hit Dice, base attack bonus progression, saving throws, and skill points from the class it selects. Traits: A soulstitched possesses the following traits. -Unlike other constructs, a soulstitched has a Constitution score. -Unlike other constructs, soulstitched do not have low-light vision or darkvision. -Unlike other constructs, a soulstitched is not immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities. -Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened condition, and energy drain. - A soulstitched cannot heal damage naturally. -Unlike other constructs, soulstitched are subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, and death effects or necromancy effects. -As living constructs, soulstitched can be affects by spells that target living creatures as well as by those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a soulstitched can be healed by a cure light wounds spell or a repair light damage spell, for example, and a soulstitched is vulnerable to a disable construct spell and harm. However, spells from the healing subschool and supernatural abilities that cure hit point damage provide only half their normal effect to a soulstitched. Unlike other living constructs, soulstitched are unaffected by repel metal, chill metal, repel wood, and rusting grasp. Spells such as flesh to stone affect objects only objects, and thus cannot be used on the flesh parts of a soulstitched. -A soulstitched responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit points. A soulstitched with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. He can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When his hit points are less than 0 and are greater than -10, a soulstitched is inert. He is unconscious and helpless, and he cannot perform any actions. However, an inert soulstitched does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to him, as with a living creature that is stable. -As a living construct, a soulstitched can be raised of resurrected. -A soulstitched does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but he can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as heroes' feast and potions. -Although living constructs do not need sleep, a soulstitched wizard must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells. • +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma, -2 Dexterity: Soulstitched are clever and have a powerful presence, but their amalgamation of body parts makes their movements what awkward and unsure. • Medium: As medium constructs, soulstitched have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • Soulstitched has a base land speed of 20 feet. • Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: None. • Favored Class: Sorcerer. A multiclass soulstitched sorcerer class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
ArochanoX 03-31-08, 01:06 PM	It seems to be a little overpowered for a LA0 race. First it has 2 ability bonuses and one penalty. Not to mention that the bonuses are for mental abilities. The two bonuses don't interact very well in almost every situation so no synergy there, but the -2 Dex just doesn't counter that. Not to mention your race gets a +1 armor bonus (that is usually superceded by mage armor but still). Living construct is a very powerful creature type already but you also gave it maybe the most powerful 1st level spell as a spell like ability. I think the race needs a major tone-down. First give it a constitution penalty (maybe the individual parts the soulstiched is made aren't as durable as they were in the whole creature) and then remove the SLA. Another way to make "compelling presence" is to give it a diplomacy bonus. Nice thinking though.
sonofzeal 03-31-08, 01:09 PM	Agreed. This is quite solidly an LA+1 race right now, and a fairly decent one at that.
Lappy9000 03-31-08, 01:19 PM	I think the race needs a major tone-down. First give it a constitution penalty (maybe the individual parts the soulstiched is made aren't as durable as they were in the whole creature) and then remove the SLA. Another way to make "compelling presence" is to give it a diplomacy bonus. Woah, an constitution and a dexterity penalty? To a race designed to be primarily casters? I'm cool with taking out the compelling presence in exchange for a bonus for diplomacy, though (or non at all; it was kinda thrown in).
ArochanoX 03-31-08, 01:43 PM	To my thinking, constitution penalty is the only ability score penalty that hurts primary casters. All other penalties they can get over with rather easily. Poor strenght: use bag of holding, and ranged touch attacks Poor dexterity: use more mage armor and shield, use other party members for cover and shoot targeted spells (fireball, magic missile) Poor constitution: false life, bear's endurance, mirror images etc are all lvl 2 spells that are 2nd level spells and can only be used for defence. Any caster prefers scorching ray, web and blindness/deafness over them. Poor intelligece: use less skill points. Poor wisdom: who cares? I have good will save progression. Poor charisma: I don't negotiate.
sonofzeal 03-31-08, 02:05 PM	Woah, an constitution and a dexterity penalty? To a race designed to be primarily casters? I'm cool with taking out the compelling presence in exchange for a bonus for diplomacy, though (or non at all; it was kinda thrown in). The thing is, +2 to a casting stat is way too valuable for a spellcaster on an LA +0 race. That's why Grey Elf is so popular, even after that Con hit. A spellcaster race with a bonus to their casting stats needs some major downside, and I'm just not seeing it. They've got an overall positive stat mod (which should never happen on an LA +0 race), they've got a ton of immunities and resistances thanks to Living Construct (plus the ability to heal themselves via Repair Light Damage), a natural attack, armor that can be enchanted (effectively a free +1 upgrade on Bracers of Armor), and a powerful SLA. For negatives... well, they move slowly (which doesn't matter once you get mobility spells) and they don't heal overnight. Solidly LA +1. If you removed the SLA and applied a Con penalty, that would be more in line with LA +0.
Lappy9000 03-31-08, 02:41 PM	Well, I edited the main post to what it looked like in the original build. And unfortunately, they still look boring, but more balanced.
jradd777 03-31-08, 02:41 PM	Also, maybe get into the class arena and write up some racial sub-levels for these guys as casters. That way you can really make some specific benefits for them as casters without making the race itself LA +1... as long as the sub-levels are balanced... I'd use the Warforged racial sub levels as a guide for ideas and concepts and to help judge balance of your own.