Out of the math Cave: Fey PCs

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

Catodon

Jul 24, 2015 18:48:06

(Emerges from the math cave blinking unaccustomed to sunlight) I have been chipping away at my race creation article making minor tweaks and adding to the examples. While the final race creation article is *still* some ways off due to busy paid work I thought I'd present a fraction of the work as a stand alone article. 

Faeries

Faeries are an archtype of western fantasy and folklore. Whether you portray them as unpredictable and dangerous personifications of the Old Ways, Elizabethan mischief makers, or even diminuative comic relief as seen in Disney films is up to you.

The letters and numbers in parenthesise ‘( )’ are evidence levels and prices as explained in my race creation rules thread.

** Playtest : This race contains uncertain traits. It probably does not break the rules of WOTC’s system and there is a chance that point total is out. Alternatively, the race uses rules from part 3 of this article that extend PHB rules in new ways. 

A race with two subraces

* ½ Tiny fey (I -3.25).

Dex+4{3-20}, Wis+2{3-20} (P 12)

Race Traits: land speed 10ft (! -12), proficient in perception and stealth (P 4). Subtotal 0.75

You should also choose one of the two subraces below.

Sprite

Str -4{1-6}, Con+0{3-20}, Int+1{3-20}, Cha+0{3-20} (P -6).

Traits:, fly 40ft (FX 11.75). Proficiency in Tiny longsword and shortbow (X 1.25). At 3rd level Heartsight, DC=8+proficiency bonus+Charisma modifier (I 2) and Invisibility (I 2) both at will. Total 11.75

Lesser traits: Extra language: Common, Elvish, Sylvan.

Notes: as a Tiny creature a sprite is never going to deal a huge amount of weapon damage. That said a sprite’s likely high AC, mobility, and capability with finesse weapons can give them good staying power in melee and high attack bonuses that can wear down opponents. A sprite can make  capable PC of any class.

Having a flying speed before 6th level is exceptionally effective in certain circumstances and exceedingly dangerous in others. As a result, playing a sprite requires special consideration by your DM who may disallow this choice. Unlike the Aarakocra the sprite can fly in heavy armour. A Sprite’s poison arrows cost 180gp each and are only available from sprite settlements. The cost for the arrows is a little lower than that of drow poison which has similar effects (DMG257-258). Alternatively, a sprite proficient in alchemist’s supplies can craft the poison for the arrows as a downtime activity. The amount of poison worth 180gp is so tiny and the need for the poison to be in a puncture wound and not exposed to air after it encounters the blood makes it virtually impossible to coat other weapons with it, even Medium Size arrows.

Pixie

Str -5 {1-4}, Con -2 {2-16}, Int+0 {3-20}, Cha+0 {3-20} (P -14)

Languages: Common and Sylvan.

Traits: fly speed 30ft at 1st level (F 10.75) but cannot fly in medium or heavy armour (F -4), Magic resistance (I 18). Total 11.5

Lesser traits: nil

Notes: Without access to good armour or weapons the pixie is best used in support roles such as healer, scout, bard, or ranged spellcaster. This nicely reflects the description of pixies in the MM.

Having a flying speed before 6th level is exceptionally effective in certain circumstances and exceedingly dangerous in others. As a result, playing a pixie requires special consideration by your DM who may disallow this choice. Magic resistance may give some referee’s pause but remember it is really just a more powerful version of Gnome Cunning.

Pixie Dust

Pixies, not sprites, have access to the following racial feats if the optional feat rules are in use. The spell DCs and spell attack bonus are Charisma based.

Notes: The second and third feats in the chain are a little underpriced and the final feat is a little overpriced. However the total for the four feats is 16.5, very close to the target of 16, and most spells are priced as if they were gained a level earlier than the feat progression allows so that each is probably slightly overpriced.

Pixie Dust I

Prerequistires: pixies subrace

Benefits: Druidcraft cantrip at will (X 2), Superior Invisibility trait (I 2). Total 4

Pixie Dust II

Prerequistires: pixie dust I

Benefits: Dancing lights cantrip once per long rest (X 2), detect good and evil once per long rest (I 0), entangle once per long rest (I 2.5). Total 3.5

Note: this feat cannot be gained until 8th level but spell prices are as if the spells are gained at 7th.

Pixie Dust III

Prerequistires: pixie dust II

Benefits: The ability to cast the following spells all once per long rest: sleep (I 1.5), detect thoughts (I 0), and phantasmal force (I 2). Total 3.5

Note: this feat cannot be gained until 12th level but spell prices are as if the spells are gained at 11th.

Pixie Dust IV

Prerequistires: pixie dust III

Benefits: The ability to cast the following spells all once per long rest: dispell magic (I 1.5), fly (I 0), confusion (I 2) and polymorph (I 2). Total 5.5

Note: this feat cannot be gained until 16th level but spell prices are as if the spells are gained at 15th. Though priced a little high the prerequisite feats are under-value.

Size (I)

For smaller than Small and bigger than Medium characters whenever the limitations of your Size place you in danger or prevents you from doing something critical your referee might award Inspiration (PHB p125). For example a giant might be rewarded Inspiration for not being able to enter a cave where the rest of the party was losing a fight but not if the cave was merely providing safe shelter from the rain. If your Size makes something more difficult but not impossible apply Disadvantage, for example a hill giant trying to pick a human-built lock.

The other issue is equipment of the right size. For armour we learn from the barding rule, different sized armour does not differ in AC from Medium scale, cost is x4 per scale up and x1/4 per scale down, weight is x2 per scale up and x1/2 per scale down. In the PHB Small armour costs and weighs the same as Medium you may wish to change this. These rules could be used for any worn equipment including packs.

Weapon cost probably increases in proportion to the average damage of the weapon (see below) compared to the Medium version, i.e Tiny x1/4. Weight for Tiny gear is x1/64 as per the real world.

For other non-worn Tiny gear my best guess is cost x1/4. The exception is items with value based on their materials, such as gold jewellery, those increase in cost as per weight.

Regardless of Size, I recommend players pay Medium Scale prices for equipment at the time of character creation.

Size & weapon damage

Sprite in the MM tells us 1d8 at Medium goes to 1 damage at Tiny but we currently don’t really have any other data points for smaller than Medium scaled weapons. While we wait on further evidence I suggest halving the number of sides of the dice (round down) used per reduction in scale below Medium (for example a 2d8 becomes 2d4, a d2 becomes 1pt, 1pt becomes 0 damage). Using this system weapons can be scaled to Small Size too; for example a Small Greatsword does 2d3 slashing, a Tiny one 2pt damage. At Tiny any slashing or piercing melee weapon can be built with the finesse quality if damage is reduced to 1pt.

Unarmed damage is NOT scaled this way. Unless bought as a separate trait unarmed damage is 1 bludgeoning.

Sprites tell us that Tiny weapons have half range.

A giant’s rock is a simple ranged weapon.

Weapons of different Sizes are different proficiencies. A Tiny javelin proficiency does not let a sprite use her proficiency bonus with a human’s Medium javelin. If no Size is noted with a proficiency then the same Size as the character is assumed. This applies even to proficiency groups, for example if a Tiny character recieves ‘all Simple and Martial Weapons’ from a class this should be read as ‘all Tiny Simple and Martial Weapons’

Tiny Size out of combat: Disadvantage and Inspiration

The point prices for Size/Tool Use combinations is based on the damage output of the weapons they can use. Outside of melee Non-humans can be very different to humanity and we don’t want to write a library of special case rules to cover Nor do we want to start trying to price all the disadvantages faced by Tiny PCs as traits without evidence from canon rules to guide us. We need a separate alternative system. Fortunately, we are given two general tools for players who play within the limitations of a role: Disadvantage, and Inspiration.

·       Use Disadvantage when the race can do something but with difficulty.

·       When a race can’t do something say ‘no’ but if this prevents the character from taking an action critical to survival or achieving important goals award Inspiration. Inspiration is explained as the character trying harder to prove themselves useful.

The Inspiration awards are important. Awarding Inspiration when the handicap becomes critical compensates the player in proportion to how often the handicap is actually detrimental during play. This rule is essentially a modified version of the optional rule to treat lingering injuries as flaws (DMG273).