Makall
Racial Traits
Average Height: 3’10” – 4’2”
Average Weight: 75-85 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom or Charisma
Size: Small
Speed: 7 squares
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common, racial telepathy 10 (you can send telepathic missives ‘heard’ by any other Makall within 10 squares of you, and ‘hear’ the telepathic missives sent by any other Makall within 10 squares of you. If you are within 10 squares of another makall you are considered aware of that makall, and are considered to be in telepathic contact with that makall).
Skill Bonus: +2 Stealth, +2 Perception
Arid Wanderer: You gain a +5 bonus to Endurance skill checks to resist the effects of Environmental Dangers pertaining to any sort of heat, and can avoid making Endurance skill checks pertaining to thirst for a number of days equal to 3 + your Constitution modifier (if any).
Communal Perception: If you are in telepathic contact with at least one other Makall, you may grant the other Makalls you are in contact with a +2 situational bonus to Perception checks. This bonus does not stack with itself or other situational bonuses.
Eyes at the Side of Your Head: You gain a +2 racial bonus to AC against targets that are flanking you.
Mobile Charger: You may take further actions after a charge.
Charging Rake or Mind Hunter: At character creation you choose whether you wish to gain the Charging Rake or Mind Hunter racial power as an encounter power.
Charging Rake Makall Racial Power
After charging an enemy, you leap into the air and rake it with the razor sharp claws on your feet.
Encounter
Move Action Melee 1
Prerequisite: This power can only be used after a charge attack.
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom +4 vs. AC
Increase to +6 at 11th level and +8 at 21st level.
Hit: 1d6 + Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom modifier damage.
Increase the damage to 2d6 + Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom modifier at 11th level and 3d6 + Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom modifier at 21st level.
Special: When you create your character, choose Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom as the ability score you use when making attack rolls with this power. This choice remains throughout your character’s life, and does not change the power’s other effects.
[SIZE="3"]Mind Hunter Makall Racial Power[/SIZE]
You telepathically mark a target, temporarily making it more susceptible to your attacks.
Encounter
Move Action Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom or Charisma +4 vs. AC
Increase to +6 at 11th level and +8 at 21st level.
Hit: Until the end of your next turn, you deal your Wisdom or your Charisma modifier as damage to the target whenever it becomes the target of one of your attack powers or basic attacks. If one of your attack powers grants multiple attacks against this target, you only deal your Wisdom or your Charisma modifier as damage to the target once.
Special: When you create your character, choose Wisdom or Charisma as the ability score you use when making attack rolls with this power. This choice remains throughout your character’s life, and does not change the power’s other effects.
Hailing form a small network of loosely aligned desert colonies, the makall are a race of telepathic reptilian humanoids renewed for their skill at tracking enemies. Makall venture into civilized lands on quests to prove their hunting skill. While the makall are small, they are relentless hunters who make excellent trackers and scouts. As carnivoures, they must hunt dangerous, dinosaur-like lizards that travel in herds through their desert homelands. Many of the creatures hunted by the makall are fearsome predators, and the makall developed a strong tradition as fierce warriors and relentless pursuers to prepare their young to one day stalk and kill creatures larger, stronger, and faster then themselves. Makall who adventure beyond their small settlements seek to test their hunting and fighting skill against the strange and exotic prey that lurks beyond their borders.
Play a Makall if you want to play a…
♦ to play a hero with a primal and communal nature.
♦ to be good at tracking down and hunting prey.
♦ to be a member of a race that favors the Ranger, Rogue, Avenger, or Monk classes.
Physical Qualities
Makall are short, slender, bipedal reptilians that are as small as halflings. Their legs are jointed like a raptor’s, allowing them to run at incredible speeds. Their eyes are placed at the sides of their heads. Their mouths are lined with rows of small razor sharp teeth. Their hands end in three toes and thumb. Their feet have four toes, each of which ends in razor sharp claws. One toe on each foot extends upwards into a sickle like talon. Unlike most lizards, makall have no tails.
Playing a Makall
Under Construction
[SIZE="4"]Heroic Tier Feats[/SIZE]
Perception of My Tribe
Prerequisite: Makall, Communal Perception
Benefit: You may grant your Communal Perception situational bonus to Perception checks to any race that you are in telepathic contact with.
Telepathic Communicator
Prerequisite: Makall, Racial Telepathy
Benefit: You may use your racial telepathy language to speak to any creature that possesses a language, is within line of sight, and is within ten squares from you. When you do so you open a two-way channel of communication that allows the creature to telepathically respond to you, and are considered to be in telepathic contact with that creature. You may end this contact (and the creature’s ability to telepathically respond to you) as a free action.
Paragon Tier Feats
Master of the Hunt and the Kill
Prerequisite: Makall
Benefit: You gain the use of the makall racial power (Charging Rake or Mind Hunter) that you did not choose at character creation as an encounter power.
Prey on the Big
Prerequisite: Makall
Benefit: You gain a +1 to hit and damage with melee attacks against Large or larger targets.
Telepathic Planning
Prerequisite: Makall
Benefit: If you miss with any attack roll while you in telepathic contact with at least one other ally, and wouldn’t otherwise deal damage on the miss, you deal damage to your original target equal to the Wisdom or Charisma modifier of one ally you are in telepathic contact with. This damage receives no modifiers or other benefits you normally gain on damage.
Epic Tier Feats
Everything you have here except the combat ability seems horribly out-of-line with the abilities of other PC races. Lower the speed to 6 and tone down all these abilities to be more in-line with what you can expect from the other PC races.
Actually, most of these abilities are very in line with other PC race abilities.
It gains telepathy within 10 squares as a language. This is 5 more squares than a Kalashtar. However, a Kalashtar can communicate with anyone. A Makall can only communicate like this with other Makall.
It gets +2 to two stats, just like any other PC race. Because Wisdom and Charisma are both a very good fit for this race (considering its telepathic ability, and thus psionic propensity) it can choose whether it gets a bonus to Wisdom or Charisma, just like the Changeling can choose whether it gets a +2 to Intelligence or Dexterity.
It gets a +5 bonus to Endurance checks to resist the effects of environmental dangers, which is directly correlative to the Dwarfs +5 vs. saving throws against poison. In fact, in many ways its weaker, which is why it also gains the extra time it can suffer from thirst before it must start making endurance checks to avoid negative effects.
It can grant other Makall within 10 squares a +2 bonus to perception checks. This is directly in line with the elves ability to grant all other group members a +1 bonus to perception checks within 5 squares, or a half-elves ability to grant all other group members a +1 bonus to diplomacy checks within 10 squares.
I am worried that eyes in the side of your head might be overpowered, however. This one, if more people feel it is overpowered, I will get rid of.
Mobile charger is brand new, its true that there is really not much to compare this ability to, but I really don't think its that big of a deal. I am willing to hear arguments to the contrary, however.
The aura bonus is double that of the elf, the drawback that it can only be used with other Makall is somewhat detrimental to the game as a whole as it makes the player of the Makall desire to force the others to play the same race.
Complete immunity to flanking is quite a bit over-the-top. Maybe a +2 to Reflex saves against combat advantage would be more appropriate.
An ability to communicate in a language no one else could possibly eavesdrop on should also be considered a fairly potent ability.
"Enviromental Dangers" is a MUCH wider field than Poisons and can cover just about anythng. In fact, I'd be hard pressed to come up with a single valid use of Endurance that wouldn't be due to enviromental dangers.
Reread the ability. It pertains specifically to environmental dangers involving heat only. IE: traveling through deserts, volcanic plains, areas of extreme environmental heat. This is not a much wider field than poisons. This does not cover all Endurance checks. If you look at the table of sample environmental dangers found on page 158 of the DMG, there are 9 sample environmental dangers; only 2 of those involve heat. This also does not cover Endurance checks surrounding thirst or hunger (which does not count as an environmental danger). What is more, this would be a far more rare occurrence within combat situations then poison. This would really only ever come into play in the occasional skill challenge. The dwarfs ability is arguably far more potent.
The aura bonus is double that of the elf, the drawback that it can only be used with other Makall is somewhat detrimental to the game as a whole as it makes the player of the Makall desire to force the others to play the same race.
The aura bonus is double that of an elf, but only works on one race only. This does promote a player to only play a Makall if one other player also wants to play a Makall. However, that is the intentional flavor of this race. They tend to travel in packs. I don't agree that this is detrimental to the game. If more people disagree with me, I will change this ability.
Complete immunity to flanking is quite a bit over-the-top. Maybe a +2 to Reflex saves against combat advantage would be more appropriate.
Reflex saves? Do you mean Reflex defense? I might decide to figure out something to replace that ability with. Anyone else have any opinions on the Eyes at the Side of Your Head ability? Is it overpowered?
An ability to communicate in a language no one else could possibly eavesdrop on should also be considered a fairly potent ability.
One which is already granted to another RAW race. In fact, the other race to get this ability arguably has a more potent version, as they can communicate with ANY other race, not just other members of the same race.
Anyone else have any opinions on the Eyes at the Side of Your Head ability? Is it overpowered?
It is massivly overpowered. Flanking is one of the main sources of Combat Advantage, and giving them immunity to it is absurdly powerful. For example, there are many low-level Rogue-like creatures that gain bonus damage with CA, but the only way they can do this normally is with flanking.
What I would suggest is this: If an enemy is getting CA against the Makall as a result of flanking, and ONLY flanking, then the enemy only gets a +1 bonus to attack against the Makall, instead of the usual +2. They still gain CA against the Makall.
Huh. Ok, I deleted that benefit from that power. I will have to figure out something to replace it. How about the rest of the Makall Rustmonster?
Well, other than their telepathy and ability to boost others of their kind, they are rather standard. The only problem I can see is the racial power. It is a bit vague. It uses a move action, which is quite unusual for a racial. You realize that it means they can't move on their turn unless they use their Standard as a move action, right? The flavour text notes "After charging...", but doesn't say you need to. Did you intend for that?
I like the feel of it, how it isn't that powerful, but very accurate. However, not all classes will be in melee, so for them it is useless. I'd suggest allowing them to choose either Melee touch or Range 5 for it at character creation. I do see the problem, fluffwise, though. Is there any way you could justify some of them having a ranged attack instead of a claw attack?
Well, other than their telepathy and ability to boost others of their kind, they are rather standard.
Do you also feel that the telepathy and the ability to boost others of their kind are overpowered? Or, despite being "non-standard," are those two abilities still balanced?
Also, I assume you agree with me that the ability to use other actions after a charge is not overpowered?
The only problem I can see is the racial power. It is a bit vague. It uses a move action, which is quite unusual for a racial. You realize that it means they can't move on their turn unless they use their Standard as a move action, right? The flavour text notes "After charging...", but doesn't say you need to. Did you intend for that?
No, I did not intend for that. I forgot to add in the following line:
Prerequisite: This power can only be used after a charge attack.
The idea behind the power is a Makall can use a standard action to charge. Then, once per encounter, after they make their basic attack from the charge, they can use their move action to make a second attack (in the form of a rake with their hind claws).
Keeping that in mind, does the power look fine, or does it need some sort of adjustment? I was a little worried that perhaps the bonus wisdom/charisma damage from a makall they are in telepathic contact with should be transformed into a feat (IE: the effect line of the power should not automatically be a component of the power, but should be a component which can be added to the power if a makall takes a heroic tier feat).
I like the feel of it, how it isn't that powerful, but very accurate. However, not all classes will be in melee, so for them it is useless. I'd suggest allowing them to choose either Melee touch or Range 5 for it at character creation. I do see the problem, fluffwise, though. Is there any way you could justify some of them having a ranged attack instead of a claw attack?
I don't know. I sort of based the power off of the minotaur charge attack, but removed the knocked prone quality, and made the attack based off a move action (which must be performed after a charge attack) instead of a standard action which includes a charge movement. Basically, the minotaur gets to knock someone prone. This little guy gets to make a standard weapon attack and then make his rake attack. Not all minotaurs would be melee opponents, but they get their charge power as a racial power regardless. Why should this little guy be any different (its a serious question)?
Also, I tried to keep their racial as something beneficial to both weapon and non weapon using classes. They can choose to be able to make their racial attack with their Wisdom score. That means that if they choose a magic spellcasting class with a high Wisdom (as either a primary or secondary ability), they should still be able to effectively use this charge attack. They can take the melee weapon training feat, use their spellcasting stat as their attack stat with melee weapons, and then once per encounter charge a foe and rake their foe using their spellcasting stat and wisdom. This keeps the races "melee flavor," while allowing the race to play a number of potent simulcasting combos. For example, a char/dex sorcerer. They would use their cha for their melee training. Dex for their "attack" stat with their racial. Once per encounter that sorcerer would charge a foe. A shaman would use Wisdom as their melee training feat and their attack stat for their rake. Same with an invoker, druid, and laser cleric. As a psion they would either take the wisdom build, and use wisdom as their attack stat, or make a cha based telepath, and have either dex or wisdom as a high tertiary stat. Even a wizard can make a build that potentially has a high dex or wisdom score (based on their implement). Is it really necessary to make a second power? I think this power would be useful to most classes... it would just reward the makall for occasionally making a charge attack even with classes that would not normally do so. But, that seems to fit the flavor of the race, no (again, a serious question)?
I think for the Eyes on the Side of Your Head thing, I think disregarding the +2 to attack rolls due to flanking is good enough. Its strong, but it doesn't render combat advantage useless.
I also deleted the "effect" quality of the racial power. I am going to change it into a feat.
So, I decided I wanted to create a 4e adaptation of one of my favorite 3e races, a race called the Makall from a 3e AEG product called Mercenaries. This is my adaptation of that race. Enjoy. Comments and a PEACH are always welcome!
Judging from your previous comments, you've thought this one out quite a bit. I'll try not to repeat anything that's already been said.
I'm not familiar with the original product, but right now this seems more like a monster stat block than a PC race. The abilities are extremely situational, and all but useless for certain classes and builds.
Makall
Racial Traits
Average Height: 3’10” – 4’2”
Average Weight: 75-85 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom or Charisma
Why do they have the option of a Charisma bonus? It isn't useful for any of their listed favored classes (except Rogue) and it doesn't seem to fit with their fluff, since they don't have +Intimidate.
Size: Small
...I'll talk about this one later.
Speed: 7 squares
Fine, since they have charge bonuses and all.
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common, racial telepathy 10 (you can send telepathic missives ‘heard’ by any other Makall within 10 squares of you, and ‘hear’ the telepathic missives sent by any other Makall within 10 squares of you. If you are within 10 squares of another makall you are considered aware of that makall, and are considered to be in telepathic contact with that makall).
Communal Perception: If you are in telepathic contact with at least one other Makall, you may grant the other Makalls you are in contact with a +2 situational bonus to Perception checks. This bonus does not stack with itself or other situational bonuses.
Feats notwithstanding, these are useless without other Makall in the party and exponentially better with each additional one, making it hard to assess balance.
Skill Bonus: +2 Stealth, +2 Perception
Good for the rogue. Good for everybody.
Arid Wanderer: You gain a +5 bonus to Endurance skill checks to resist the effects of Environmental Dangers pertaining to any sort of heat, and can avoid making Endurance skill checks pertaining to thirst for a number of days equal to 3 + your Constitution modifier (if any).
Flavorful and balanced.
Eyes at the Side of Your Head: You gain a +2 racial bonus to AC against targets that are flanking you.
This is an interesting take on +AC, and while substantially less useful for ranged-focused classes (if you're surrounded by enemies, a +10% dodge isn't helping you much), is significant without being overpowered.
Mobile Charger: You may take further actions after a charge.
Charging Rake: You can use Charging Rake as an encounter power.
Charging Rake Makall Racial Power
After charging an enemy, you leap into the air and rake it with the razor sharp claws on your feet.
Encounter
Move Action Melee 1
Prerequisite: This power can only be used after a charge attack.
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom +4 vs. AC
Increase to +6 at 11th level and +8 at 21st level.
Hit: 1d6 + Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom modifier damage.
Increase the damage to 2d6 + Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom modifier at 11th level and 3d6 + Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom modifier at 21st level.
Special: When you create your character, choose Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom as the ability score you use when making attack rolls with this power. This choice remains throughout your character’s life, and does not change the power’s other effects.
These are the abilities I have the most issues with, in that they do not offer implement-using or ranged-focused classes/builds any advantage to playing the race, making it strictly worse than most others. For example, a Wild Magic Sorcerer will have the ability scores, 7 move...and nothing else. You argue that such a character can take Melee Training (CHA) and thus make use of the power, but there are a number of problems with this:
1) Characters don't have an unlimited number of feats. Why would I take Melee Training (and possibly a weapon proficiency feat on top of that) when I can instead improve on what I'm designed to do well?
2) Charging eats up a standard action that could be better spent using a power. The main reasons to charge are: the enemy cannot be reached in a single move action (which makes using the follow-up power impossible); the character is using a power as part of a charge; or the character is optimized to do maximum damage on a charge (taking feats and items appropriately). None of these is a compelling reason for ranged/implement users to take the action.
3) Your typical sorcerer, shaman, or invoker has low hit points, low healing surges, low to medium AC, and the ability to fire off powers from range all day. Piddly weapon damage and an additional 1d6+stat on a hit hardly offset the disadvantages of charging suicidally into melee. If a power is an "Encounter" power, it shouldn't find use "occasionally" - it should be useful once per encounter.
This brings me to the classes who can actually make use of the power. There is one problem with this race - the word "Small." Since you haven't stated that your houserules in general, or Makall specifically, ignore the rules for smallness, I'm assuming you're going by RAW, which states that Small characters cannot use two-handed weapons. This makes the Makall useless as barbarians (which, of all the classes, have the most incentive to charge) and, since they have no +str bonus, poor at the other classes which have the best default melee basic attacks as well. For example, you state that one of their favored classes is Ranger, but small characters who want to be two-blade rangers are restricted to (from the PHB) light blades, scimitars, and throwing weapons.
That said, I do like Mobile Charger, which I'm surprised hasn't been already created as a general feat.
[SIZE="4"]Heroic Tier Feats[/SIZE]
Perception of My Tribe
Prerequisite: Makall, Communal Perception
Benefit: You may grant your Communal Perception situational bonus to Perception checks to any race that you are in telepathic contact with.
Telepathic Communicator
Prerequisite: Makall, Racial Telepathy
Benefit: You may use your racial telepathy language to speak to any creature that possesses a language, is within line of sight, and is within ten squares from you. When you do so you open a two-way channel of communication that allows the creature to telepathically respond to you, and are considered to be in telepathic contact with that creature. You may end this contact (and the creature’s ability to telepathically respond to you) as a free action.
This seems like a feat tax to make these features slightly less useless in a non-Makall party. Would it be too unbalanced if they were combined?
Paragon Tier Feats
Prey on the Big
Prerequisite: Makall
Benefit: You gain a +1 to hit and damage with melee attacks against Large or larger targets.
Why only melee attacks? Can't I prey on the big just as well with an arrow or magic missile?
Telepathic Planning
Prerequisite: Makall
Benefit: If you miss with any attack roll while you in telepathic contact with at least one other creature, and wouldn’t otherwise deal damage on the miss, you deal damage to your original target equal to the Wisdom or Charisma modifier of one creature you are in telepathic contact with. This damage receives no modifiers or other benefits you normally gain on damage.
This is a fairly long and convoluted way to deal a little bit of damage, but I don't seen any problems balance-wise. (Okay, one problem: if you can be in telepathic communication with any creature, what's stopping you from stealing the BBEG's Wis or Cha and deliberately whiffing attacks against his allies?)
Epic Tier Feats
Mind Hunter
Prerequisite: Makall
Benefit: You may spend an action point as a minor action to gain the ability to reroll any attack roll against a target you are in telepathic contact with until the start of your next turn. When rerolling an attack roll you must accept the result of the reroll even if it is worse.
This is a strictly worse version of Elven Accuracy. I don't see any problems with it, especially at Epic tier.
Why do they have the option of a Charisma bonus? It isn't useful for any of their listed favored classes (except Rogue) and it doesn't seem to fit with their fluff, since they don't have +Intimidate.
They get an option for a charisma bonus because a) it helps them be a better rogue and b) charisma is the primary stat of the telepath psion build, a build that I think should be optional (though not necessarily optimal) for this race. They might not get a bonus to intimidation, but this doesn't mean the race is not charismatic.
Feats notwithstanding, these are useless without other Makall in the party and exponentially better with each additional one, making it hard to assess balance.
Exponentially better? Hardly. The power does not stack with itself. Like I said before, this is pretty much the same thing as the elves group perception ability, except it only works on one race, at double the distance, and grants a +2 instead of a +1. If the race takes two feats, then it works like a more powerful version of the elves group perception ability. For the cost of two feats, that seems fair to me.
These are the abilities I have the most issues with, in that they do not offer implement-using or ranged-focused classes/builds any advantage to playing the race, making it strictly worse than most others. For example, a Wild Magic Sorcerer will have the ability scores, 7 move...and nothing else. You argue that such a character can take Melee Training (CHA) and thus make use of the power, but there are a number of problems with this:
This I don't agree with at all. But lets go over your problems:
1) Characters don't have an unlimited number of feats. Why would I take Melee Training (and possibly a weapon proficiency feat on top of that) when I can instead improve on what I'm designed to do well?
For the same reason anyone would ever take melee weapon training. Because you are trying to open up your options.
2) Charging eats up a standard action that could be better spent using a power. The main reasons to charge are: the enemy cannot be reached in a single move action (which makes using the follow-up power impossible); the character is using a power as part of a charge; or the character is optimized to do maximum damage on a charge (taking feats and items appropriately). None of these is a compelling reason for ranged/implement users to take the action.
Being able to make two attacks is a pretty good reason to charge an enemy. I could see such a character using a charge to finish off enemies. Being able to make one attack that deals 1[w] + stat damage (2[w] at epic) and another attack that deals 1, 2, or 3d6 + stat damage is not bad at all.
3) Your typical sorcerer, shaman, or invoker has low hit points, low healing surges, low to medium AC, and the ability to fire off powers from range all day. Piddly weapon damage and an additional 1d6+stat on a hit hardly offset the disadvantages of charging suicidally into melee. If a power is an "Encounter" power, it shouldn't find use "occasionally" - it should be useful once per encounter.
And probably would be to deal decent finishing damage on a target that is already injured. And lets not forget, classes like the sorcerer already get a number of decent melee range options. So does the warlock for all that...
But really, what it really breaks down to is this: those classes are not the most optimal classes for a makall. It is possible to make a makall decent at one of those classes, but makall work better as melee combatants. That is what they are optimal at. They are optimal at playing melee oriented rogues, rangers, and monks. They might make decent barbarians as well. That is what they are great at. And I don't really see a problem with a PC race that leans towards a melee oriented bent. I mean, the PC minotaur write up gets a class power that is almost identical to the makall power, except that it knocks a target prone (instead of being written in a manner that allows a character to make two attacks, a basic and a rake, after a charge). What is more, while the makall power can potentially be used by caster types with a decent wisdom, dex, or str score, the minotaur power can only be used with a decent strength score. By your estimation, this would make the PC minotaur write up more of a "NPC monster write up than a PC race write up," but its not, its a RAW PC race write up, one which is going to show up in print in the PHB 3. I think that its a precedent for such powers, no?
This brings me to the classes who can actually make use of the power. There is one problem with this race - the word "Small." Since you haven't stated that your houserules in general, or Makall specifically, ignore the rules for smallness, I'm assuming you're going by RAW, which states that Small characters cannot use two-handed weapons. This makes the Makall useless as barbarians (which, of all the classes, have the most incentive to charge) and, since they have no +str bonus, poor at the other classes which have the best default melee basic attacks as well. For example, you state that one of their favored classes is Ranger, but small characters who want to be two-blade rangers are restricted to (from the PHB) light blades, scimitars, and throwing weapons.
And this is where I REALLY disagree with you. First of all, the Eberron Players Guide already provides us with a model for a superior two-handed weapons specifically designed for small characters. I am going to eventually write up a section of makall specific weapons that includes a similar weapon. So, they can make decent barbarians. As you noted, makall rangers could use scimitars. They can also use rapiers (a light blade that is not offhand), or the special versatile weapon which is usable in one hand presented in the EPG. They can use throwing weapons, or shortbows. I think all of these are perfectly acceptable options. Will they have a slightly smaller damage die than medium barbarians or rangers? Absolutely. So what? In return they will be able to make further actions after a charge (which they can use to charge and move away, or charge and rake, or charge and shift. If they take light blades, and multiclass rogue or fighter, they can take the rogue/fighter feat which allows them to charge and deal an extra 1[w] damage (a good reason to go with a rapier). The whole idea of this race is to provide a small race which makes an optimal melee combatant. A melee combatant whose optimal benefits are slightly different than those provided by a standard medium sized character. Whose flavor is "small." That is exactly the point of this race.
This seems like a feat tax to make these features slightly less useless in a non-Makall party. Would it be too unbalanced if they were combined?
No. I could reduce the range to 5 and combine the feat with the standard telepathic capability. But the Kalashtar already gain this. I wanted to go with something a little different. And the 3e variant of this race could only speak telepathically with members of its own race.
Why only melee attacks? Can't I prey on the big just as well with an arrow or magic missile?
Because the 3e variant of this race took a -1 to hit with ranged attacks over 30 feet in distance. Because the race is supposed to have something of a melee flavor to it. I just figured that making this feat work only with melee attacks helped with this. It also helped grant the favored classes of this race an extra bonus, in melee, which helps the class be an optimal (but different) melee combatant. They might have a slightly smaller damage die, but they can be more accurate.
This is a fairly long and convoluted way to deal a little bit of damage, but I don't seen any problems balance-wise. (Okay, one problem: if you can be in telepathic communication with any creature, what's stopping you from stealing the BBEG's Wis or Cha and deliberately whiffing attacks against his allies?)
The wording was actually almost identical to that of scimitar dance. But good catch on the one problem! I will change the wording to say an ally.
This is a strictly worse version of Elven Accuracy. I don't see any problems with it, especially at Epic tier.
I see one major problem, the way its currently worded, if used with a power that allows multiple attack rolls, this ability will allow a reroll with each of these attack rolls. This makes the power more powerful than the elven racial power. This is one of the reasons I feel that the power as currently worded is overpowered.
Thoughts on my thoughts?
Thank you for taking the time to write all that TCG. While I don't agree with you on everything, I appreciate the input. I will go over things in a little more detail here:
They get an option for a charisma bonus because a) it helps them be a better rogue and b) charisma is the primary stat of the telepath psion build, a build that I think should be optional (though not necessarily optimal) for this race. They might not get a bonus to intimidation, but this doesn't mean the race is not charismatic.
Every build is 'optional' for every race. As you say later, they might make decent barbarians, but don't get a bonus to Str or Con. Is the telepath psion a melee-oriented build, by any chance?
Exponentially better? Hardly. The power does not stack with itself. Like I said before, this is pretty much the same thing as the elves group perception ability, except it only works on one race, at double the distance, and grants a +2 instead of a +1. If the race takes two feats, then it works like a more powerful version of the elves group perception ability. For the cost of two feats, that seems fair to me.
I was referring more to the number of telepathic links, which increase more than linearly with additional makall.
This I don't agree with at all. But lets go over your problems:
For the same reason anyone would ever take melee weapon training. Because you are trying to open up your options.
Melee training, from what I've seen in the CharOp forums, is mainly taken by Cha-paladins and some rogues who want to not suck at OAs. (I believe swordmages have a similar feat.) It does not really make them more versatile.
Being able to make two attacks is a pretty good reason to charge an enemy. I could see such a character using a charge to finish off enemies. Being able to make one attack that deals 1[w] + stat damage (2[w] at epic) and another attack that deals 1, 2, or 3d6 + stat damage is not bad at all.
And probably would be to deal decent finishing damage on a target that is already injured. And lets not forget, classes like the sorcerer already get a number of decent melee range options. So does the warlock for all that...
Two attacks/turn is good, but 1d6 is really not much at all in late Heroic tier...as for 'finishing off' enemies, unless the DM lets you know exactly how much hp each monster has, it's still a risk. Unless the monster's init is right after, you can let the next PC in the initiative kill it. And if the monster's init is right after, I'd probably still want to stay at range, hope for high damage rolls, use an AP if need be, than charge in and potentially not kill it, making me very vulnerable next turn.
But really, what it really breaks down to is this: those classes are not the most optimal classes for a makall. It is possible to make a makall decent at one of those classes, but makall work better as melee combatants. That is what they are optimal at. They are optimal at playing melee oriented rogues, rangers, and monks. They might make decent barbarians as well. That is what they are great at. And I don't really see a problem with a PC race that leans towards a melee oriented bent. I mean, the PC minotaur write up gets a class power that is almost identical to the makall power, except that it knocks a target prone (instead of being written in a manner that allows a character to make two attacks, a basic and a rake, after a charge). What is more, while the makall power can potentially be used by caster types with a decent wisdom, dex, or str score, the minotaur power can only be used with a decent strength score. By your estimation, this would make the PC minotaur write up more of a "NPC monster write up than a PC race write up," but its not, its a RAW PC race write up, one which is going to show up in print in the PHB 3. I think that its a precedent for such powers, no?
Crimson_Concerto has written a rant against the minotaur's features here. Your thoughts? (I have a personal dislike of powers that only key off one ability.)
Just because a race is better suited to melee combat doesn't mean its abilities have to be useful to *only* melee combatants. This is why I like Eyes at the Side of Your Head - obviously its benefits will be felt more by characters who spend a lot of time in melee, but for the odd occasion where the PCs are ambushed or swarmed by highly mobile enemies, it feels useful to ranged characters, and not "Great, a power I'll never use."
Right now the race's two standout features are the telepathic communication among members of the same race, and its bonuses for charging in melee, which seem more suited to an encounter group than a member of a (presumably diverse) party of PCs.
Also remember that some builds can be optimal melee combatants without ever having to charge.
[Some stuff about books I don't have]
I hope you're granting them some perks for taking that Superior Weapon Proficiency, then.
I see one major problem, the way its currently worded, if used with a power that allows multiple attack rolls, this ability will allow a reroll with each of these attack rolls. This makes the power more powerful than the elven racial power. This is one of the reasons I feel that the power as currently worded is overpowered.
Thoughts on my thoughts?
Ah, multiattacks. Well, Blade Cascade is insane anyway. Maybe make spending the AP a free action and force the entire power to be rerolled?
Every build is 'optional' for every race. As you say later, they might make decent barbarians, but don't get a bonus to Str or Con. Is the telepath psion a melee-oriented build, by any chance?
It is not. However, the two psion builds will be a telekentic "push everyone around build" and a telepathic build. The telekentic "push everyone around" build is a wisdom based build. The telepathic build is a charsima based build. It would not make much sense if this race were better suited to not play the telepathic based build. And, like I said, I wanted the race to be a little more optimal as a rogue than a race with a +2 dex/wis bonus.
I was referring more to the number of telepathic links, which increase more than linearly with additional makall.
I am not sure how this makes the power exponentially more powerful. If you have 2 makall in the group, than both get a +2 bonus to perception (because both can give each other a +2 bonus to perception). If you have 6 makall in a group, they still all only get a +2 bonus to perception. I don't see how this makes the power "exponentially more powerful." Its just a slightly different version of the elven "group perception" ability.
Crimson_Concerto has written a rant against the minotaur's features here. Your thoughts?
That his rant was written before the offical PC version of the minotaur was written up, and that his version of the minotaur still granted it a "gore" racial charge ability that is VERY similar to what I granted to my version of the makall. The minotaur still seems like, to me, a precedent that allows this sort of racial power. However, because this power is obviously causing problems. I am going to go back to the drawing board with it. I think I am going to give makall a choice between one of two racial powers. One will be suited to casters (and will work of wisdom or charisma), the other will be suited to melee combatants, and will be the rake written up here.
Right now the race's two standout features are the telepathic communication among members of the same race, and its bonuses for charging in melee, which seem more suited to an encounter group than a member of a (presumably diverse) party of PCs.
I will write up an alternate choice of a racial power for non-melee oriented makall. But, I don't really want to change the telepathic communication feature. I feel that with the feats, this power is more than versatile enough as is. Either a group should have more than 1 makall in it, or a makall should take some feats to make the telepathic communication ability more versatile with the rest of the members in his party.
I hope you're granting them some perks for taking that Superior Weapon Proficiency, then.
I am going to create a Makall Weapon Training feat. I just need to pick what their racial weapons will be. I am leaning towards a similar choice to the Talanta Halflings from the EPG.
Thoughts on my thoughts?
It is not. However, the two psion builds will be a telekentic "push everyone around build" and a telepathic build. The telekentic "push everyone around" build is a wisdom based build. The telepathic build is a charsima based build. It would not make much sense if this race were better suited to not play the telepathic based build. And, like I said, I wanted the race to be a little more optimal as a rogue than a race with a +2 dex/wis bonus.
Ah. Fluff, then. I assume the +wis is for monk and avenger?
I am not sure how this makes the power exponentially more powerful. If you have 2 makall in the group, than both get a +2 bonus to perception (because both can give each other a +2 bonus to perception). If you have 6 makall in a group, they still all only get a +2 bonus to perception. I don't see how this makes the power "exponentially more powerful." Its just a slightly different version of the elven "group perception" ability.
Correction: I was referring to the "racial telepathy 10" ability and not to the "Communal Perception" ability. And not more "powerful", just better.
Another idea for the "Mind Hunter", since my previous one would create some 'damage undo' issues: make it like the Avenger's OoE, still eat an AP, but free action, one attack, (re? it is Epic) roll twice and choose the higher.
Ah. Fluff, then. I assume the +wis is for monk and avenger?
Yup. And for the ranger.
Correction: I was referring to the "racial telepathy 10" ability and not to the "Communal Perception" ability. And not more "powerful", just better.
Its just an alternate version of the Kalashatar's telepathic ability. The Kalashtar can speak telepathically with any creature it can see within 5 squares. The makall can speak to any makall within 10 squares. The Kalashtar can take a feat to increase its telepathy to 10 squares. The makall can take a feat so that it can speak to any non makall it can see within 10 squares. Seems a bit equivalent, no?
Another idea for the "Mind Hunter", since my previous one would create some 'damage undo' issues: make it like the Avenger's OoE, still eat an AP, but free action, one attack, (re? it is Epic) roll twice and choose the higher.
I sort of like that idea. How about a slightly altered version of it. How about this:
Mind Hunter
Prerequisite: Makall
Benefit: You may spend an action point as a free action to gain the ability to reroll one attack roll you just made against a target you are in telepathic contact with. When rerolling an attack roll you must keep the result of the reroll, even if it is worse. However, the reroll ignores any cover or concealment that the target has.
?
First of all, I gave the race a choice between taking Charging Rake or Telepathic Hunter. What do you think?
I like it. Personally, it would work better as a Minor action, for buff->charge->shift or buff->buff->charge, and is still useful to ranged classes. It's also more interesting, design-wise, than Charging Rake.
Its just an alternate version of the Kalashatar's telepathic ability. The Kalashtar can speak telepathically with any creature it can see within 5 squares. The makall can speak to any makall within 10 squares. The Kalashtar can take a feat to increase its telepathy to 10 squares. The makall can take a feat so that it can speak to any non makall it can see within 10 squares. Seems a bit equivalent, no?
Sounds balanced. If neither character has the feat, the Kalashtar version is noticeably better though.
I sort of like that idea. How about a slightly altered version of it. How about this:
Mind Hunter
Prerequisite: Makall
Benefit: You may spend an action point as a free action to gain the ability to reroll one attack roll you just made against a target you are in telepathic contact with. When rerolling an attack roll you must keep the result of the reroll, even if it is worse. However, the reroll ignores any cover or concealment that the target has.
It basically negates invisibility? Seems fine. Owing to the restrictive targeting (i.e. must spend a feat to use against non-Makall), I'd argue it's even balanced at Paragon tier.
I like it. Personally, it would work better as a Minor action, for buff->charge->shift or buff->buff->charge, and is still useful to ranged classes. It's also more interesting, design-wise, than Charging Rake.
Neat. I am still going to offer characters a choice between Charging Rake or Telepathic Hunter, because I personally really like the charging rake option. The idea of being able to use your hind claws like a raptor appeals to me. But it seems at least I have created a nice alternate option.
Here is my one worry about chaging it to a minor action: I worry that if I do this, it will become a hands down superior ability to the tiefling racial. Right now, this power lasts until the end of a characters next turn. If it hits, a character will deal at least 2x their cha/wis modifier in damage, because they will be able to attack with a power and deal this damage once in the same turn they use the buff, and once in the following turn (as long as something doesn't happen to stop them from using an attack power/basic attack against the target). This is balanced by the fact that they need to hit with Mind Hunter (see bellow, I am renaming Telepathic Hunter to Mind Hunter), and it costs a move action. The tiefling ability allows a tiefling to gain a +1 to hit with their next attack, and if it hits they add their charisma modifier tot he damage. I am worried that if I make Mind Hunter a swift action, it will totally overshadow the tiefling ability (which I don't want it to do).
Sounds balanced. If neither character has the feat, the Kalashtar version is noticeably better though.
Not necessarily. A Makall doesn't need to have line of sight to speak to other makall. It can also use its telepathy at a range of ten squares without a feat. A Kalashtar can only use their telepathy at a range of 5 squares without a feat.
It basically negates invisibility? Seems fine. Owing to the restrictive targeting (i.e. must spend a feat to use against non-Makall), I'd argue it's even balanced at Paragon tier.
Except, it wouldn't really let them ignore invisible creatures I don't think. They need to be in contact with the creature, which means that they have to have line of sight to it in order to use this power... I think I am going to just delete mind hunter, rename telepathic hunter Mind Hunter, and create a feat that allows a character to gain the power they did not choose at character creation as a second racial power. Then I will just need to figure out what sort of feat this race should get at epic levels...
Master of the Hunt and the Kill
Prerequisite: Makall
Benefit: You gain the use of the makall racial power (Charging Rake or Mind Hunter) that you did not choose at character creation as an encounter power.
I need a peach on it. I made it paragon, because the drow get a similar feat at paragon level. However, despite this fact, I am still a little worried that it is overpowered at paragon level (because it does not replace one of your encounter powers, but instead grants you a brand new one). Should I make it an epic power, or is it fine at paragon (considering that the drow gets a very similar power at paragon level)?