Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 slobo777a Nov 03, 2009 8:09:41	In my homebrew campaign world, a major PC race choice is "Beastkin", with various sub-types for Feline, Lupine, Bear, Rat etc etc (the beastkin are all mammal-based, and either omnivores or carnivores). I had many of these statted up in 3.5. (I also allowed half-breeds of all sorts - it fit with the world's ancient and cosmopolitan background - but that doesn't sit so well with 4E, unless anyone has pointers for that?) So far, I've been re-fluffing other races: Kobolds make good Ratkin, Razorclaw Shifters not too bad for Feline Beastkin etc etc. I'd like to thrash out some ideas for racial powers that would suit various types of Beastkin . . . for me, they need to bring to mind the animal type behind the name, and that is what I'm having most trouble with. I don't mind re-using existing racial powers, since many of the official D&D races don't exist as such in the setting - I let players build using them and re-fluff to whatever is closest. So far, I have: Lupine Run With The Pack        Immediate Interrupt; Encounter Whilst the enemy faces your ally, you take advantage with a swift move to a better position.  Trigger: An ally within 5 squares of you attacks an opponent. Effect: You can Shift 2 squares before the attack roll.     . . . and that's it so far, hence my posting. Anyone got some nifty animal-associated powers just waiting to be written down? I'm considering allowing Shifty or a similar power for Ratkin. It seems to fit. That still leaves me scratching my head for Felines, Bears, Boars, Apes, Monkeys (together with Lupines and Rats, these cover all the common ones I used in 3.5E).
#2 pluisjen Nov 03, 2009 9:17:19	How about a power for Boars: Great ferocity: Racial Encounter power Immediate reaction Trigger: You are hit by an attack Effect: The attack has no effect. You suffer all the effects the attack would normally deal at the end of your next turn. You cannot make saving throws against the effects until the turn after those effects have been applied.   Maybe add a Special: can only use this power while bloodied if it seems like too much?   Monkeys should maybe get a Climb speed until the end of their turn as a minor or free?
#3 slobo777a Nov 04, 2009 7:13:59	How about a power for Boars: Great ferocity: Racial Encounter power Immediate reaction Trigger: You are hit by an attack Effect: The attack has no effect. You suffer all the effects the attack would normally deal at the end of your next turn. You cannot make saving throws against the effects until the turn after those effects have been applied.   I really like the feel of that one, definitely has the right racial feel for Boar . . . was wondering though if the delay to end of next turn was a bit too much - that's 3 actions (maybe 4 with an AP), and the possibility of a LOT of payback to the attacker (also normal use of Immediate Interrupts if PC should be dazed etc). There's also a funny with handling forced movement . . . So, here's a variant inspired by your idea: Ferocious Response: Immediate Reaction; Encounter Trigger: You are hit by an attack doing at least 1 point of damage. Effect: You may take one Move action, or one Minor action. Whilst taking that action, you may ignore any conditions or effects that were applied to you due to the triggering attack. You may still act even if the attack reduces your hitpoints total to 0 or below. Action Point: In addition you may choose to spend an Action Point. If you use that action point to gain a bonus Standard action, you may also take that action immediately, ignoring conditions or effects that were applied to you due to the triggering attack.
#4 pluisjen Nov 04, 2009 8:12:38	Yeah it is a lot of actions, but it's also dangerous to perform... after all you are still standing and you will be bashed again. If you go KO anyway before your turn comes up, not only does the power do nothing, its going to kick you while you are down, which puts you in a real threat... it could easily kill you. Yours gets the same feeling across, although it does allow you to essentially take most of another turn in anothers turn, and still have your own. That might be a bit powerful for a racial encounter power. Maybe change it so you can take a standard action immediately, but in return you lose the standard action on your next turn? That way at least you don't get any extra actions.
#5 slobo777a Nov 04, 2009 11:11:23	Yours gets the same feeling across, although it does allow you to essentially take most of another turn in anothers turn, and still have your own. That might be a bit powerful for a racial encounter power. Did you miss the or in the description? I was thinking of just granting a Move (which is not technically an extra action, since you are spending your Immediate action) - because using it for a Minor is implicit in RAW anyway . . . so maybe I over-complicated it? And of course I wasn't allowing a Standard without spending an AP, because yes that would be far too powerful. I like the idea of transferring over the next Standard action too though. If it did that, I don't think I'd allow using an Action Point. Anyway, an alternative is to ignore all this shifting around of actions and effects, and go for the most important part, which is temporarily ignoring stuff which should otherwise affect you:   Ferocious Response II:  Immediate Reaction; Encounter Trigger: You are hit by an attack. Effect: Until the end of your next turn, you may ignore restrictions and penalties from conditions imposed on you by the triggering attack as follows: Prone, Immobilised, Restrained, Slowed. You may move normally. You take no penalty to attack. You threaten nearby squares and may take opportunity attacks as normal. Dazed or Stunned. You may use all your actions on your turn as normal. You take no penalty to attack. You threaten nearby squares and may take opportunity attacks as normal. Weakened. You take no penalty to attack or damage. Unconscious. You may use all your actions on your turn as normal. You are not helpless. All other effects (such as granting Combat Advantage, or bonuses to hit you) still occur as described by the condition. Special: You may continue to act in this way until the end of your turn, even if damage from the triggering attack (or any ongoing damage due to it) reduces you below 1 hit point. Any further damage from a different source negates this effect, and you then become unconscious as normal immediately. You must still make a Death Saving Throw if you end your turn at or below 0 hit points.    . . . I don't like the long wording of this, but the interactions with some conditions become obscure unless spelled out, or it is longer to give the general description than these fixed interactions.
#6 slobo777a Nov 05, 2009 14:32:21	OK, thanks for the help on boars, plenty to raid for ideas there. Anyone got any ideas for cats of any type? I'm really having trouble thinking up something that isn't a melee adjustment, or it is too minor, or too geneirc and not at all feline . . .
#7 pluisjen Nov 06, 2009 2:47:12	Well, here's some feline traits: * Nimble * Stealthy * Predatorial * Always land on feet * Fast (like jaguars) I'd probably give them falling damage reduction (which is probably a minor trait) and base speed 7, as well as +2 Dex +2 Cha, +2 Acrobatics and +2 Stealth. For a racial power, I'd go with some form of pounce... it's seems just too fitting. Pounce With a burst of speed, you leap past your opponents guard and strike at him. Racial encounter power (Free action) Trigger: You attack an opponent with an at-will attack. Effect: Shift three squares before or after the attack.   It's still usable for ranged characters to pounce backwards when cornered, it's ideal to get combat advantage before you strike or to move through enemies,  and you can't abuse it with dailies. Not perfect, I agree, but it might be a starting point? Big cats are generally either Lurker or Skirmisher creatures, so I'd look for a power like that.
#8 slobo777a Nov 06, 2009 7:13:41	I like that angle on Pounce! All my ideas were too focussed on Melee . . . I think it is very similar to the Lupine power, but in a cool way - the Lupine focuses on team work, the Feline is self-sufficient :-)