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Lysander
2009-06-11, 12:45 PM
Wallcrawlers are a vaguely amphibious race of humanoids adapted to life in caves. They frequently live in the hollow caverns within sea side cliffs, or in moist limestone caves below forests.

Appearance
Wallcrawlers have pale green skin, webbed fingers and toes, black fingernails, and bulging white orbs with no pupils for their eyes. Their bodies are hairless, but some wallcrawlers have thick fleshy dreadlock-like tendrils of flesh coming from their head. Instead of a nose they posses three narrow vertical slits above their lips, nor do they have any ears. Their mouths are filled with hundreds of sharp needle teeth that break easily but regrow as necessary.

The only clothing Wallcrawlers typically wear is a speedo-like outfit, and a sash across the chest for females.

Culture
Wallcrawlers are carnivorous but peaceful creatures who usually sustain themselves with the fish they catch with their bare hands. Wallcrawlers living inland may emerge from their caves to hunt small game with slings and arrows, or cover holes with sticks and leaves to trick animals into falling into their domain.

A wallcrawler clan only consists of around fifty creatures since more will normally overcrowd a cave or overfish an area. Once a settlement grows much larger than that the males of the clan will hold contests consisting of wrestling and swimming races to see who will have the honor of leaving and finding a new home. Clans are ruled by a gerontocracy with the eldest fifth of the group making the few decisions needed.

Wallcrawlers have no concept of marriage or relationships, and instead share mates and raise all children communally. Females bear their young as humans do.

Wallcrawler clans will sometimes trade fish, shells, pearls and coral they can easily obtain with other races. They have little need of or interest in money, but are highly inquisitive. If threatened by a significant force of outsiders an entire clan will often simply leave en masse and find a new home.

edit: Wallcrawlers and Other Races

Wallcrawlers are highly devoted to their clan, but as communal creatures lack many of the bounds and responsibilities inherent in the nuclear family. This gives them freedom to travel, visiting other cave clans to share tales or to explore the outside world, which they refer to as "The Daylight" in their tongue. Most Wallcrawlers leave the cave for a few months after coming of age at 15, then travel only sporadically, but others travel more extensively.

While they lead a relatively primitive existence with few tools Wallcrawlers are no less intelligent than humanity, and occasionally one will rise to prominence in the human world as a wizard or artisan. Unlike most races though, a Wallcrawler who has achieved success this way will often give it up after several years, even decades, to return to fishing from their cave, their curiosity sated. They understand technological and magical progress and are intrigued by it, but have no desire to alter the lifestyle that has served their people for millenia.

Their blank eyes and evil looking teeth unsettle other races, and Wallcrawlers may face prejudice, even violence. Depending on the level of hostility Wallcrawlers may be so secretive nobody even knows they live nearby, or they may be valued as trading partners and guides, and commonly visit friends of other races in nearby villages.

Wallcrawlers may sometimes settle the sewer system of a major city and become an urban legend. Sewer dwelling Wallcrawlers are more violent and greedy than their cave brethren, and might sneak up to steal food rather than subsist on rats. Most Wallcrawlers think dwelling in sewers is disgusting though, and would rather sleep on the ceiling of a house even without comforting moisture and stone. Wallcrawlers living in sewers are typically outcasts who have been banished from their clan for moral defect and found like minded souls beneath human cities.


Attributes
*Medium Size

*+2 Dexterity, -4 Charisma

*Base land speed 20 feet

*Climbing - Wallcrawlers have microscopic ridges on their fingers and toes that allow them to climb walls, as the spell Spider Climb, as a nonmagical extraordinary ability. They can also run while climbing, even upside down.

*Exclusive Darkvision - Wallcrawlers can see in perfect darkness, but even in daylight they see in black and white.

*Hold breath - A wallcrawler can hold their breath for up to five minutes before having any difficulty.

*+4 to all swimming checks. Wallcrawlers only need to make a check for fatigue when swimming once every eight hours.

*+4 to all listen checks

*-2 to resist any effect to dazzle them

*Dietary restriction: A Wallcrawler can only digest meat, dairy, insects, and fish. They derive no nourishment from fruits, plants, or bread (though they still enjoy juice and beer as exotic beverages).

*Automatic languages: Common and Wallcrawler. The Wallcrawler tongue is a series of loud clicks and whistles that other races can hear, but neither speak nor be taught to comprehend. Even most magic spells cannot let one use this language because people of other races lack the physical capability to hear and produce all the frequencies involved. Druids and Rangers of any race are an exception though and can learn the tongue.

*Favored class: Ranger

GreatWyrmGold
2009-06-11, 12:53 PM
First thought: YOU MADE SPIDERMAN?!?!

(reads thread)

Ah. Not so much Marvel Comics. Cool race; slightly on the powerful side of LA+0.

Lysander
2009-06-11, 01:04 PM
Think there should be more stat penalties? Maybe an additional -2 to strength?

Gourtox
2009-06-11, 01:28 PM
Think there should be more stat penalties? Maybe an additional -2 to strength?

Maybe. I'm new to DnD, but I can see the hilarity now. "Quick cut the red wire!" "Crap!" or "Quick toss me the red potion before he dies!" "Crap!"

Lysander
2009-06-11, 01:39 PM
Maybe. I'm new to DnD, but I can see the hilarity now. "Quick cut the red wire!" "Crap!" or "Quick toss me the red potion before he dies!" "Crap!"

Haha. "A dragon is coming! We must cast defensive spells against its specific energy attack!" "What color dragon?" "Grey!"

Zeta Kai
2009-06-11, 03:00 PM
Yeah, the inability to identify things by color could definately be exploited by a crafty DM.

BTW, what creature type is this? I would assume Monstrous Humanoid, but I like to hear it from the OP's keyboard.

Lysander
2009-06-11, 03:25 PM
Yes, they're a monstrous humanoid.

A really evil DM would put a prismatic wall in their path.

Magicus
2009-06-11, 07:32 PM
I really like this race... Good job, Lysander.

It may be a tad overpowered for a LA+0, however- even though it takes a hefty hit in Charisma, that's a dump stat for many classes, and they have no other major weaknesses. I don't it's too much of an issue though, certainly not enough to warrant any LA. Overall, it's quite good.

LordZarth
2009-06-11, 07:54 PM
But how do they see?

ericgrau
2009-06-11, 08:17 PM
in black and white, like dogs.

LordZarth
2009-06-11, 08:26 PM
in black and white, like dogs.

No... I mean, it says they have no pupils, so I'm wondering how their vision works.

Lysander
2009-06-11, 11:25 PM
No... I mean, it says they have no pupils, so I'm wondering how their vision works.

Their entire eye is one highly sensitive plane. The white eye is one giant pupil, and unlike human pupils is sensitive enough that it doesn't need to be clear to absorb light. I suppose darkvision, in general, is that the eye is capable of projecting light in frequencies most races can't see and using it to illuminate the surroundings. So a Wallcrawler's eyes are a sort of bulb. Unlike dwarves however they've only evolved darkvision, and can't see in color.

Fizban
2009-06-12, 04:06 AM
I'd be more specific with Exclusive Darkvision than "see normally." How about: see as well and as far as a human could in broad daylight without any illumination, except they cannot see color. The important thing is that see normally doesn't mean "see normally in the dark, like darkvision", but "see normally, as in everything with a straight line to your eyeballs".

Also, is there a reason to use spider climb instead of a climb speed? I'm guessing it's to avoid having to make climb checks for slippery surfaces and such, but the magical effect makes me want to give it LA+1 just because.

Lysander
2009-06-12, 08:20 AM
I'd be more specific with Exclusive Darkvision than "see normally." How about: see as well and as far as a human could in broad daylight without any illumination, except they cannot see color. The important thing is that see normally doesn't mean "see normally in the dark, like darkvision", but "see normally, as in everything with a straight line to your eyeballs".

Yes, that's better. Their vision is identical to a human's, other than being completely colorblind and being able to see in darkness.

Lysander
2009-06-12, 08:50 AM
Here are a few ideas for additional weaknesses, because right now being a Wallcrawler is a pretty good deal for classes that don't rely on CHA too often. Which of these do you think is appropriate?

*-2 Str
*Making them automatically dazzled in bright daylight
*When wearing wearing medium or heavy armor they merely get +4 to climbing checks, because the additional weight is too much for their power to hold

Lysander
2009-06-12, 09:21 AM
A little more background and flavor.

Wallcrawlers and Other Races

Wallcrawlers are highly devoted to their clan, but as communal creatures lack many of the bounds and responsibilities inherent in the nuclear family. This gives them freedom to travel, visiting other cave clans to share tales or to explore the outside world, which they refer to as "The Daylight" in their tongue. Most Wallcrawlers leave the cave for a few months after coming of age at 15, then travel only sporadically, but others travel more extensively.

While they lead a relatively primitive existence with few tools Wallcrawlers are no less intelligent than humanity, and occasionally one will rise to prominence in the human world as a wizard or artisan. Unlike most races though, a Wallcrawler who has achieved success this way will often give it up after several years, even decades, to return to fishing from their cave, their curiosity sated. They understand technological and magical progress and are intrigued by it, but have no desire to alter the lifestyle that has served their people for millenia.

Their blank eyes and evil looking teeth unsettle other races, and Wallcrawlers may face prejudice, even violence. Depending on the level of hostility Wallcrawlers may be so secretive nobody even knows they live nearby, or they may be valued as trading partners and guides, and commonly visit friends of other races in nearby villages.

Wallcrawlers may sometimes settle the sewer system of a major city and become an urban legend. Sewer dwelling Wallcrawlers are more violent and greedy than their cave brethren, and might sneak up to steal food rather than subsist on rats. Most Wallcrawlers think dwelling in sewers is disgusting though, and would rather sleep on the ceiling of a house even without comforting moisture and stone. Wallcrawlers living in sewers are typically outcasts who have been banished from their clan for moral defect and found like minded souls beneath human cities.

paddyfool
2009-06-12, 09:36 AM
I like the idea in fluff. In crunch terms, that vision becomes interesting. Not being able to see colour might well cut down their ability to spot fine differences between things. -2 Spot and Search, especially as various other people seem to think they're overpowered?

DracoDei
2009-06-12, 10:52 AM
The usual way of handing new information such as the "Wallcrawlers and other races" section you added is to edit it into the original post, then put in a new post point out/announcing the edit. This keeps everything more together for people referencing the information later to use it.

LordZarth
2009-06-12, 10:55 AM
Their entire eye is one highly sensitive plane. The white eye is one giant pupil, and unlike human pupils is sensitive enough that it doesn't need to be clear to absorb light. I suppose darkvision, in general, is that the eye is capable of projecting light in frequencies most races can't see and using it to illuminate the surroundings. So a Wallcrawler's eyes are a sort of bulb. Unlike dwarves however they've only evolved darkvision, and can't see in color.

Wow, very cool.

Freaky, too.

Lysander
2009-06-12, 11:53 AM
Wow, very cool.

Freaky, too.

Non-magical Darkvision would have to either be projecting light outwards and seeing the reflection, or being able to see things by the natural radiation they emit (everything releases a very small amount of radiation including people).

imp_fireball
2009-06-13, 08:43 PM
Here are a few ideas for additional weaknesses, because right now being a Wallcrawler is a pretty good deal for classes that don't rely on CHA too often. Which of these do you think is appropriate?

*-2 Str
*Making them automatically dazzled in bright daylight
*When wearing wearing medium or heavy armor they merely get +4 to climbing checks, because the additional weight is too much for their power to hold

Yes, but they're cut off from being paladins and bards, not to mention -10ft. speed can be brutal. Wearing heavy/medium armor would be even more brutal (15ft. speed? proper dwarves have 20ft. speed when wearing that armor), and if you include the reduction in climb then that sort of cuts them off from wearing medium or heavy armor as being favorable at all (armor bonus isn't worth it if their dex bonus is nulled by way of max dexterity limitation).

In fact, from that I could only ever see them becoming rogues (in SRD) for their ability to hide simply because they can move out of LOS of an enemy (scaling a ceiling), move in and then sneak attack with a ranged weapon. Being a ranger, druid or cleric offers no benefit over choosing any other race to be a druid/ranger/cleric - except that rangers get +1 touch AC and +1 attack (big perks!).

Maybe they should have slow fall that stacks with monk levels (if you're handing out penalties)? The magical things aren't necessarily a reason to give them +1 LA. In fact, they can still be pounded in combat. In fact, I'm pretty sure there are LA 0 races out there with racial HD.

Dagren
2009-06-13, 09:28 PM
*Automatic languages: Common and Wallcrawler. The Wallcrawler tongue is a series of loud clicks and whistles that other races can hear, but neither speak nor be taught to comprehend. Even most magic spells cannot let one use this language because people of other races lack the physical capability to hear and produce all the frequencies involved. Druids and Rangers of any race are an exception though and can learn the tongue.Doesn't make much sense to me. You say that other races lack the physical capacity to speak their language, but why should that be a barrier to magic? Especially if Druids and Rangers are exempt anyway. I could understand it if it was the other way around, that non-wallcrawlers could only speak their language using magic, of course.

Lysander
2009-06-15, 11:12 AM
Doesn't make much sense to me. You say that other races lack the physical capacity to speak their language, but why should that be a barrier to magic? Especially if Druids and Rangers are exempt anyway. I could understand it if it was the other way around, that non-wallcrawlers could only speak their language using magic, of course.

My interpretation is that spells like Tongues fill in your knowledge of a language, but don't alter your physical capabilities. So while your brain might know the language, you won't be able to produce the sounds with your vocal cords or hear it being spoken. Actually, it might make sense for Speak with Animals to work on this language.

Rangers and Druids are the exception because they're more connected to other lifeforms, and could have biological abilities standard members of their race don't have.

imp_fireball
2009-06-15, 02:20 PM
Doesn't make much sense to me. You say that other races lack the physical capacity to speak their language, but why should that be a barrier to magic? Especially if Druids and Rangers are exempt anyway. I could understand it if it was the other way around, that non-wallcrawlers could only speak their language using magic, of course.

Supposedly, that's why races are confined to their own specific languages. Except humans, for some reason, since humans are the most amorphous, sickeningly volatile of all races, able to expand and conquor much like Eric Cartman's Trapperkeeper in that one episode of South Park.

It's also at GM discretion.


My interpretation is that spells like Tongues fill in your knowledge of a language, but don't alter your physical capabilities. So while your brain might know the language, you won't be able to produce the sounds with your vocal cords or hear it being spoken. Actually, it might make sense for Speak with Animals to work on this language.

Then again, it's magic. It warps things to your will. So yes, you'll probably be able to speak wallcrawler. No additional mechanics.

I'm also not really a fan of limiting fluff based on mechanics. Languages that are difficult to utter are fine by me. Not to mention wallcrawlers can still speak common.

Why would they invent a language that they could only speak through use of magic? That would be an unecessary burden on their social system. Unless they're an old race, like elves often are.

Lysander
2009-06-15, 07:58 PM
Why would they invent a language that they could only speak through use of magic? That would be an unecessary burden on their social system. Unless they're an old race, like elves often are.

They don't need magic to speak it, Wallcrawler biology is capable of their own tongue. It isn't what they use with other races obviously, I just though it was nice flavor, a bat-like quality of squeaks to communicate in caves.