Bugbear PCs

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

longbottom_leafman

Jan 31, 2009 14:41:30
Finally got a chance to play instead of DM, and as it were I'm playing a bugbear rogue. Unfortunately, there's not too much supplemental stuff on bugbears yet, so I had to devise a few feats ;

GOBLIN FIGHTING LORE (Heroic, Racial)
Prerequisite: Bugbear, goblin, or hobgoblin
Benefit: You gain proficiency and a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with all simple melee weapons.

SLAYER'S EYE (Heroic, Racial)
Prerequisites: Bugbear, trained in Perception
Benefit: When you use your predatory eye racial power against a bloodied enemy, you automatically gain combat advantage against that enemy until the end of your next turn.

PREDATORY CUNNING (Heroic, Racial)
Prerequisites: Bugbear ranger of rogue, Hunter's Quarry or Sneak Attack class feature
Benefit: When you use your predatory eye racial power against the target of your Hunter's Quarry or against the same target as a Sneak Attack, you deal additional damage equal to 1 + your Dexterity or Wisdom modifier.
Special: At 11th level, increase the extra damage to 2 + your Dexterity or Wisdom modifier. At 21st level, increase the extra damage to 3 + your Dexterity or Wisdom modifier.

I had a few other feats I can't quite find in my notes atm, but let me know what you think of those.
ALSO any suggestions as to any additional racial features for bugbears? I know it can't be much because they already have Oversized, but personally I think predatory eye is a weak-ass power as is.
#2

thegreatgalstaff

Feb 01, 2009 0:36:26
This may sound rough but these are my suggestions.

I would change the fallowing things...

Slayer eye....
well... delete all that you have an replace it with, when you use predatory eye you deal a extra D8s based on your level instead of D6s

or

leave it as it is and make it paragon

This is why
this is a copy of the ranger/rouge feats that increase the Die size by one, its more balanced and would be more accepted because it based off of a existing feat. the other option is because it specializes a racial power and those feats are normally paragon level, and feats normally don't give you a easy way of getting CA.

PREDATORY CUNNING:

This is my suggestion(s):
make it a paragon feat with these mods...
At level 11 the extra damage should be 1+ Dex mod (min +1),
At level 21 the extra damage should be 3+ Dex mod (min +1),

or do this to make it a heroic feat... like this

The fist time you become bloodied in a encounter you regain the use of your predatory eye racial power.

This may sound like I'm nagging but its kinda overpowered, as it stands you would have 2 powers that increase, or make it insanely easy for you to sneak attack (if it only worked for quarry I would not care) and add tons more damage IMO its kinda broken. most feats even in epic only give you a +2 bonus to damage yours gives up to a +6 sure its with a encounter power but most feats at lower levels cant do that, making this feat a non choice, and non choices are not good, especially for balance.

the way you have it I would not accept any of those feats (except for the first one). I noticed that you really had a small focus (since your playing a rouge most likely MC into ranger by the sounds of it) and racial feats really just improve the base function of the power, not specialize it, this normally does not happen until paragon or even epic

but this is a unique idea, its used in the Drow race so its not too far out there, to keep in mind this feat.....
--------------------------------------
Extended Family
you have lived with your other "Goblin" brothers and learned to act like them.

Prerequisite: Bugbear, goblin, or hobgoblin

Benefit: you pick another "Goblin" race (Bugbear, goblin, or hobgoblin) other than your own, you have the option to use its racial instead of yours (encase of a picking goblin you can only use it as a encounter, not a At-Will). in the case of hobgoblin you would gain the ability "when hit with a attack that has a effect that can end, you may make a saving throw as a immediate reaction (encounter Racial power)".
--------------------------------------
So you can use one or the other, like the Drow, they have two but when they use one they cant use the other in the same encounter. it gives you more power without really being overpowered.


But....
is my opinion, feel free to ignore it, I just wanted to say that those feats were really overpowered in my opinion, especially since you would be allowed to use oversized weapons to sneak attack and your racial is basically more sneak attack allowing you basically sneak attack 2X (in away) with one attack and if the attack gave you CA (negating the tiny bit of challenge that power has to use it)to attack making it a auto Sneak...NOOOO BAD, its easy enough to get sneak attack almost every round with a decent defender, you don't need anymore help flanking or gaining CA since a lot of the rouge powers just give it to you for using the power..

sorry went into another rant.
#3

rikiji

Feb 01, 2009 14:09:05
Keep in mind that if there is ever an official writeup of Bugbears, they will in all likelihood lose the Oversized trait. If you're looking for additional racial features, they tend to be things that are beneficial to the way PCs are built, but trivial or irrelevant in the build of a monster or NPC.

For example, weapon proficiencies have no meaning to monsters. Both of the Bugbears in the MM are wielding morningstars, so I might consider a Bugbear Weapon Proficiency that grants proficiency in the Morningstar. (I could then back that up with a Bugbear Weapon Training feat - proficiency and +2 damage with maces).