Half-Trolls

[Rowanomicon]

Hi guys,

I discovered OOTS about three weeks ago, and finished reading it in about a week. I've stayed up to date since then. OOTS rules! I gotta give mad props to Rich.

Anyhow, I'm only getting around to joining the forum now.

I've got a question to be answered by anyone, I don't mind whom, and in fact you can all give me your opinion if you want.

I'm thinking about making half-troll a PC race in the campaign I'm designing with my buddy.

(There are no orcs, and therefore no half-orcs, in the campaign.)

Now, without further ado, I’ll show you the stats I came up with.

HALF-TROLLS AS CHARACTERS

Half-Troll characters possess the following racial traits.
— +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, –2 Intelligence (minimum 3), –2 Wisdom, –4 Charisma.
—Medium-Size.
—A half-troll’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Low-light vision.
— +2 natural armour bonus.
—Natural Weapons: Claw (1d4)
—Special Qualities: Scent, Regeneration (Takes damage normally from all attacks, can grow back a limb in 3d6 hours, or 3d6 minutes if severed limb is held against stump)
—Automatic Languages: Common, Giant. Bonus Languages: Goblin, Orc, etc.
—Favoured Class: Fighter.
—Level adjustment?

Well, What do you think?

Thanks.

[Zeal]

I'd improve the regeneration and give the race a level adjustment.

[Jestir256]

It'd have to be a BIG level adjustment for all that, but there's another issue at work here: the OTHER half of the troll. Generally, when cross-reproduction is supposed to be feasible, the MM mentions it. Apart from a troll polymorphed into a human, I think there's a... uh... physical comaptibilty issue with the whole idea of a troll and a medium sized humanoid breeding.

[Rowanomicon]

Sorry, I guess I didn't actualy put the question in there.

Here is is: "What Level adjustment would you give it?"

I'm no rules master.

What do you think about "—Special Qualities: Scent, Regeneration -Takes normal damage from energy attacks (eg. Fire), acid, and magical sourses (weapons and spells) and can grow back a limb in 3d6 hours, or 3d6 minutes if severed limb is held against stump.

?

Edit: I figured if half-ogres could happen, so could half-trolls

[prufock]

Hi guys,

I discovered OOTS about three weeks ago, and finished reading it in about a week. I've stayed up to date since then. OOTS rules! I gotta give mad props to Rich.

Anyhow, I'm only getting around to joining the forum now.

I've got a question to be answered by anyone, I don't mind whom, and in fact you can all give me your opinion if you want.

I'm thinking about making half-troll a PC race in the campaign I'm designing with my buddy.

(There are no orcs, and therefore no half-orcs, in the campaign.)

Now, without further ado, I’ll show you the stats I came up with.

HALF-TROLLS AS CHARACTERS

Half-Troll characters possess the following racial traits.
— +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, –2 Intelligence (minimum 3), –2 Wisdom, –4 Charisma.
—Medium-Size.
—A half-troll’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Low-light vision.
— +2 natural armour bonus.
—Natural Weapons: Claw (1d4)
—Special Qualities: Scent, Regeneration (Takes damage normally from all attacks, can grow back a limb in 3d6 hours, or 3d6 minutes if severed limb is held against stump)
—Automatic Languages: Common, Giant. Bonus Languages: Goblin, Orc, etc.
—Favoured Class: Fighter.
—Level adjustment?

Well, What do you think?

Thanks.



-4 to charisma indeed!

I don't see the need for a Dex bonus, but strength and con make sense. I'd also get rid of the wisdom penalty.

The only thing that really bothers me is that Regeneration ability, because it's pretty powerful. That's going to bump up the LA.

As for the Level Adjustment:
It's stronger than the Half-giant, which has LA +1, but the full Troll has LA +5. So +2 at least, +4 at most. I'd say 3 would do it.

[Jestir256]

I'm notorious for my loathing of unusual racial abilities and the races that go with them; the level adjustment I would give to this puppy is about +6, and I'd feel generous even with that. Moreover, I wouldn't let a player take this race until they had at least as XP class levels as the adjustment, so the earliest they could take it would be as a starting 12th level character.

[Jestir256]

Oh, sorry, missed that bit about half-ogres. Hey, it's your campaign, but for all we know trolls reproduce by mitosis. I don't think I've ever heard of a gender-specified troll. A creature as strange as that would probably have about as much reproductive success with a human as would a horse.

[thatguy]

A creature as strange as that would probably have about as much reproductive success with a human as would a horse.

You mean centaurs?

[triffid]

I'm notorious for my loathing of unusual racial abilities and the races that go with them; the level adjustment I would give to this puppy is about +6, and I'd feel generous even with that. Moreover, I wouldn't let a player take this race until they had at least as XP class levels as the adjustment, so the earliest they could take it 2would be as a starting 12th level character.

Giving it a higher LA than a full-blooded troll is 'generous'? I'd hate to see what you'd consider stingy! :o

[Jestir256]

Uh... oh my god, I didn't think of that. I... woah, I'm trying to shut that image out of my head. Failing.

I suppose that the classical minotaur is the result of an equally unlikely... union, but... how... who would... man, the character who takes this race had better have on HELL of a story!

[coredump]

Hi guys,

I discovered OOTS about three weeks ago, and finished reading it in about a week. I've stayed up to date since then. OOTS rules! I gotta give mad props to Rich. Glad you like it, and welcome to the boards...


—Special Qualities: Scent, Regeneration (Takes damage normally from all attacks, can grow back a limb in 3d6 hours, or 3d6 minutes if severed limb is held against stump)
Is this the *only* benefit from regeneration? Damage is still taken normally, no quick healing/etc?



—Level adjustment?
Is this a template to be added to a creature? (like half-dragon) or a 'race' itself (like half-orc) If a race, you need to determine the HD and other such.

As a template, I am thinking +2LA

[Tynan]

HALF-TROLLS AS CHARACTERS

Half-Troll characters possess the following racial traits.
— +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, –2 Intelligence (minimum 3), –2 Wisdom, –4 Charisma.
—Medium-Size.
—A half-troll’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Low-light vision.
— +2 natural armour bonus.
—Natural Weapons: Claw (1d4)
—Special Qualities: Scent, Regeneration (Takes damage normally from all attacks, can grow back a limb in 3d6 hours, or 3d6 minutes if severed limb is held against stump)
—Automatic Languages: Common, Giant. Bonus Languages: Goblin, Orc, etc.
—Favoured Class: Fighter.
—Level adjustment?


Well, as long as that Regeneration has no fast healing, that will lessen the LA. Hmm... I'd give it a +3 LA, as Prufock suggested.

So, no racial hit dice?

[SpiderBrigade]

It's not 3.5, but there is a half-troll template in the Fiend Folio. Among other things they get Fast Healing 5 and a Rend attack. LA is +4.

[Rykaj]

Reproduction doesn't solely happen through mutually consented actions. Which would explain the existance of half-orcs, half-ogre and half-trolls.

[prufock]

You mean centaurs?

I dare you to say that to a centaur's face!

[Thrune]

Actually, there's a Half-Troll template in one of the monster books-Fiend Folio, I think.

[Variform]

Ever hear of a supplement called Bastards & Bloodlines, from Green Ronin? Sadly out of print, this supplement had all kinds of fascinating crossbreeds, including elf/nagas, dwarf/ropers, gnome/cloakers and halfling/blink dogs.

But the pertinent race here would be Grendles, also known as blackbloods. Hybrids of trolls and either humans or dwarves, grendles took the concept of a half-troll and gave it a more sophisticated concept than simply applying a 'half-troll' template. \

First generation grendles do not occur natural, being produced by magical hybridization, although grendles breed true and can produce grendle children with human parents, although the offspring of grendles and trolls are indistinguishable from normal trolls.

Medium-sized giants, the grendles are green skinned, tall and well-formed, although they have few facial expressions. They are not complete pessimists, but they tend to believe that the realistic view of life is rarely a cheerful one. Driven to self-sufficiency, they have a gift for hard work but also a tendency toward isolation. They care little for the opinions of others. The best way to make friends with a grendle is to start by proving ones own ability to stand on ones own two feet. They are almost always lawful in alignment.

- Str+6, Con+4, Int-2, Cha-4
- Medium size
- Base speed is 30 feet
- AC+2
- Darkvision 60 feet
- Fast Healing 1 (Ex): Regain lost HP at 1/hour. Fortitude save on a DC 10 to regrow a lost limb - if successful, the limb regrows in 2d4 days. On a failure, the limb does not regrow.
- Grendles have a natural aptitude for metalworking, gaining +4 to Appraise, Craft, and Profession checks relating to metal or metalwork, and a +2 racial bonus on Disable Device or Open Lock checks dealing witha purely metal device.
- +2 Racial bonus on saves against spells and effects causing fear or despair
- Grendles do not suffer any ability loss as a result of aging.

[Beelzebub1111]

It's not 3.5, but there is a half-troll template in the Fiend Folio. Among other things they get Fast Healing 5 and a Rend attack. LA is +4.
Actualy it's more like 3.25 edition. It has Craft (Alchemy) and creature names below the picture. The only thing that makes it 3.0 is the occasional creature with DR X/+Y. Otherwise it could be used in any 3.5 game