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View Full Version : [3.5] Vuffi Raa, the species?



arguskos
2009-11-27, 04:11 AM
So, the title is easy. Basically, in my homebrew world, I find myself in need of a perfect servitor race, so I floundered about for awhile until I recalled Vuffi Raa from the Star Wars Expanded Universe and how awesome looking he was.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/bloodydoves/droid_vuffi_raa_1.jpg

The trick is, I'm at a loss for how to make the race I want as a LA 0 or LA 1 race. Note: I'm balancing against Pathfinder races.

The qualities I'm shooting for are as follows:
-Living Construct (easy)
-They are strangely shaped, just like Vuffi there. They do have 5 limbs, meaning they'll probably have Multi-Weapon Fighting, but they'll have some pretty severe equipment issues, though I'd likely brew up some replacement gear types for them, just like warforged components (ideas rock though).
-The big thing I'm having issues with is the idea I had awhile ago of "ultimate adaptability". Basically, I envisioned them being able to combine with others of their race to get larger tasks done. Nothing in combat, but a building crew of these could "link up" somehow to finish their tasks in record time. It lets them be of amazing use to their creators and overlords. I just... I can't figure out how to implement it though.

Anyways! The last thing I need is a name. I can't think of a damn thing for them. I'm taking suggestions, if anyone wants to give me a hand with that. I'm happy to provide detailed info on the setting, if that'd be helpful.

Really, I'm just looking for some help with these dudes. Any thoughts?

DracoDei
2009-11-27, 10:11 AM
Keep the name unchanged?

As for "linking up" just say that for checks to determine progress on a project their "aid another" checks give +4 instead of +2 (but perhaps the check has to succeed the minimum DC BEFORE the larger bonus is considered or you get into failure and/or wasted materials level failure), and more of them can help than would be usual.

Hiest, monkey
2009-11-27, 10:19 AM
Another thing you could think about is reducing the time to complete an action based on the amount synced up.

Say, ten percent quicker for each character beyond one, peaking at fity percent.

Call them: "Universals" or, to less sensitive people, "Blockers", because they're good at building, and ignored otherwise. It also adds te connotation that they're stealing jobs. (Thought process: Brick bots~block bots~blocks~blockers)

arguskos
2009-11-28, 05:55 PM
Well, I found out that Vuffi Raa's people are actually called the Silentium, which I really like. Universals is a good name as well, but I've long been partial to more fantasy-type names, so I might actually just steal Silentium for now until I find something better.

Here's a pretty rough draft of the race as they stand atm:

Silentium Racial Statistics:
-Silentium have the Construct [living] type. They are made from semi-organic metallic components.
-+2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Wis, -4 Cha; Silentium are agile and tough, thanks to their unusual construction. However, they are shut-ins with no knowledge of the outside world, and the way they perceive things turns off other creatures.
-A silentium gains Multi-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat. They may fight with up to three limbs at once in normal circumstances, more if they are somehow prevented from collapsing.
-Silentium gain a +2 racial bonus on Craft (any two) checks. They were created to be builders and workers, and their skill shows.
-Silentium also gain a +4 racial bonus on Search checks and +2 racial bonus on Spot checks. They have impressive visual acuity, as any true craftsman should.
-Adaptability: Silentium always have the right tool for the job, whether that job is laying bricks, washing dishes, or slaying goblins. A silentium may create, as per minor creation, a tool or non-magical simple weapon of their choice. This object lasts exactly as long as the task it is needed for lasts. For example, if a silentium is presented with a pile of dishes, and told to clean them, it may create a sponge and a bucket full of warm soapy water with which to clean said dishes. Once the dishes are clean, the bucket, water, and sponge all vanish. This ability may be used at will.
-Groupthink: Silentium, being the ultimate tool users, may use one another as a tool. As a full-round action, a silentium may link with up to five other silentium for the purpose of completing a large-scale non-combat task, such as constructing a building, or digging a mine shaft. For each silentium in the link, each silentium participating in the task gains a +2 bonus to the check. For example, 5 silentium link together to dig a trench. They each gain a +8 to their Craft checks to dig the trench (+2 for each other silentium).
-Equipment Restrictions: Due to the unusual construction of their bodies, silentium have severe restrictions on what items they may use. They may only wear rings and belts. They may wear a single belt, strapped across their torso, and they may wear up to 5 rings on their tendrils (one each). They may use any item they can hold in one or two tendrils, such as weapons, shields, wands, staves, and rods. They may not use potions, wear armor, use most wondrous items, and so on.
-Silentium have LA 0.


Thoughts? Too powerful? I liked the Adaptability mechanic especially. I also liked that % decrease in time that was mentioned above. That, and Draco's bonus to checks idea were incorporated into the Groupthink ability.

EDIT: Removed percentage thingy, since Craft checks already incorporate it.

DracoDei
2009-11-28, 07:18 PM
Bonuses to crafting checks usually speed up the process anyway, since you multiply the DC of the check by the check result to determine the monitary value of the progress made. When it equals the cost of the item, the item is finished.

arguskos
2009-11-28, 07:22 PM
Bonuses to crafting checks usually speed up the process anyway, since you multiply the DC of the check by the check result to determine the monitary value of the progress made. When it equals the cost of the item, the item is finished.
Ah, that's good to know. I don't use Craft much. Fair enough, I'll make that change then.

Does the Adaptability trait seem breakable in any real way? That's a concern at the moment.

Fortuna
2009-11-28, 07:53 PM
Well, i kind of see a wording issue. You don't specify that they can only do this once per task, and so one could claim that you needed, say, an ocean worth of water to defeat something, and then just churn it out days in advance. That can easily be fixed though. As intended, I see no problems.

arguskos
2009-11-28, 07:55 PM
Well, i kind of see a wording issue. You don't specify that they can only do this once per task, and so one could claim that you needed, say, an ocean worth of water to defeat something, and then just churn it out days in advance. That can easily be fixed though. As intended, I see no problems.
Well... um... ya see... ok, that was a pretty big goof. Fair enough. What about if I included the clause that it only creates the appropriate amount for the task? That way, should you need more water because someone kicked over your bucket, you can generate some more. Also, maybe I should make a value limit, so you can't devastate economies?

DragoonWraith
2009-11-28, 10:59 PM
Seeing as they disappear, I wouldn't worry too much about the economics beyond the stealing jobs thing.

For the Link-Up thing, is that basically that they can Aid Another while simultaneously also working on it? So you have five of them, all performing the same task while also Aiding each other on it, so you have five working at the same time with a +8 modifier? Seems like a pretty good answer to that question, if that's what it is - I'm pretty impressed, because before I read it I was completely stumped for figuring that one out.

Anyway, beyond that, the rest seems quite reasonable. Trading every-other-item-slot for three ring slots is probably a minor downgrade (but there's some sweet rings out there, so maybe less so).

Maybe if they're craftsman they should get some crafting bonus feats, or some way of crafting without necessarily being casters?

arguskos
2009-11-28, 11:03 PM
Seeing as they disappear, I wouldn't worry too much about the economics beyond the stealing jobs thing.
Good point. I should read my own writing sometimes!


For the Link-Up thing, is that basically that they can Aid Another while simultaneously also working on it? So you have five of them, all performing the same task while also Aiding each other on it, so you have five working at the same time with a +8 modifier? Seems like a pretty good answer to that question, if that's what it is - I'm pretty impressed, because before I read it I was completely stumped for figuring that one out.
Yeah, basically, that's the idea. If you have a total of 5 silentium working on digging a trench, they each get +8 on the check, and each make a check with that +8. Basically, they hyper-speed that damn trench.


Anyway, beyond that, the rest seems quite reasonable. Trading every-other-item-slot for three ring slots is probably a minor downgrade (but there's some sweet rings out there, so maybe less so).
Basically, yeah. I'll probably be giving them a total of 6 slots for "Silentium Adjustments". Basically, warforged components. Not sure about that though. Thoughts?


Maybe if they're craftsman they should get some crafting bonus feats, or some way of crafting without necessarily being casters?
Also, a great idea. Not sure how to implement it though...? :smallconfused:

The Poet
2009-11-28, 11:11 PM
Disclaimer: I know nothing of how to homebrew/balance. That said, it seems as if the wording of Adaptability would allow someone to "present" one with a nation and tell it to feed it. While this could have hilarious consequences and presents no problem to DMs who can just rule 0 or twist it, I wanted to point it out.

arguskos
2009-11-28, 11:16 PM
Disclaimer: I know nothing of how to homebrew/balance. That said, it seems as if the wording of Adaptability would allow someone to "present" one with a nation and tell it to feed it. While this could have hilarious consequences and presents no problem to DMs who can just rule 0 or twist it, I wanted to point it out.
Dude, really helpful. I think most DMs would probably respond with the thought that a nation isn't a task. However, it IS an issue.

Adaptability seems like an ability that can go horribly horribly wrong if unchecked. Perhaps I should restrict it to non-organic matter, so a silentium can't feed an army or something crazed. Thoughts?

DragoonWraith
2009-11-28, 11:30 PM
If the food disappears from their stomachs, it won't help too much. More likely he'd have to summon the tools to make a farm and such. I think any attempt to word it so that it nixes all potential abuses is probably impossible, and you're better off with something along the lines of "what is appropriate or not for the task is up to the DM" or something.

As for Silentium Adjustments, I'd just keep them minor and try to over come some of the weaknesses of the Ring slots. Stuff like ability enhancers, resistances, self-repair (Belt of Healing) might work reasonably well. I'd probably avoid letting them get enchanted, but then maybe that's a good idea - certainly saves you a lot of trouble coming up with stuff yourself.

arguskos
2009-11-28, 11:35 PM
If the food disappears from their stomachs, it won't help too much. More likely he'd have to summon the tools to make a farm and such. I think any attempt to word it so that it nixes all potential abuses is probably impossible, and you're better off with something along the lines of "what is appropriate or not for the task is up to the DM" or something.

As for Silentium Adjustments, I'd just keep them minor and try to over come some of the weaknesses of the Ring slots. Stuff like ability enhancers, resistances, self-repair (Belt of Healing) might work reasonably well. I'd probably avoid letting them get enchanted, but then maybe that's a good idea - certainly saves you a lot of trouble coming up with stuff yourself.
I was thinking one enhancement per tendril, and one for the body. The body would be things like heavier armor plating and self repair functions. The tendril's would be more utility things, such as built-in weapons, super-tools, possible flight analogues, fun stuff like that. Basically, anything cool you can imagine.

The world the silentium inhabit has some limited technology, mostly magical steam powered objects. The Silentium probably have more complex tech than everyone else, but still, not that high level. Still, magitech starfish are pretty damn cool, IMO.

The Poet
2009-11-28, 11:40 PM
Dude, really helpful. I think most DMs would probably respond with the thought that a nation isn't a task. However, it IS an issue.

Adaptability seems like an ability that can go horribly horribly wrong if unchecked. Perhaps I should restrict it to non-organic matter, so a silentium can't feed an army or something crazed. Thoughts?

But one can still be told to supply an army. I think the easiest fix would just be to include a little note to DMs so they aren't caught by surprise. As long as the DM is ready to say something like "OK, it fabricates a sword and hands it to a soldier. Having supplied that soldier, the weapon vanishes", there shouldn't be much of a problem. Sure its mildly abusable, but there's so much room for interpretation that most DMs ought to be able to handle it. And if they can't, a player trying for broken power can probably get stuff by them without resorting to homebrew, you know? (I hope that quote worked right never done it before)

arguskos
2009-11-28, 11:42 PM
But one can still be told to supply an army. I think the easiest fix would just be to include a little note to DMs so they aren't caught by surprise. As long as the DM is ready to say something like "OK, it fabricates a sword and hands it to a soldier. Having supplied that soldier, the weapon vanishes", there shouldn't be much of a problem. Sure its mildly abusable, but there's so much room for interpretation that most DMs ought to be able to handle it. And if they can't, a player trying for broken power can probably get stuff by them without resorting to homebrew, you know? (I hope that quote worked right never done it before)
Worked just fine. :smallwink:

As for the task, yeah, that's why I included the "for the duration of the task" bit, since "supply this army" lasts until the silentium hands over the very last weapon, and since it's now supplied the army, all those weapons are gone.

cha0s4a11
2009-11-29, 02:40 AM
Worked just fine. :smallwink:

As for the task, yeah, that's why I included the "for the duration of the task" bit, since "supply this army" lasts until the silentium hands over the very last weapon, and since it's now supplied the army, all those weapons are gone.

What about "supply the army and then supply some random old guy who lives thousands of miles away with weapons"? Sure the weapons will disappear when the old guy gets his weapons, but that probably gives you at least a couple weeks to work with.

DracoDei
2009-11-29, 02:55 AM
I think just having stuff vanish once it enters the possession of anyone other than the creator, and weight, volume, and price (perhaps scaling with level) limits go a very long way to dealing with the cheese. Other than that, I concur that that is the responsibility of the GM.

arguskos
2009-11-29, 02:56 AM
What about "supply the army and then supply some random old guy who lives thousands of miles away with weapons"? Sure the weapons will disappear when the old guy gets his weapons, but that probably gives you at least a couple weeks to work with.
Well, the silentium would probably break that into three tasks: 1. Supply army with weapons; 2. supply random old dude with weapons; and 3. get to the old guy. So, treat each task seperately, etc..

Or, the DM smacks the player in question with a trout and tells them to stop being a ****. :smalltongue:

Do note, Silentium are not required to undertake any task automatically. They aren't robots, they're fully sentient beings.

EDIT: Also, Draco is probably spot on with this one. I'm gonna go with 1 cubic foot of material, costing no more than 20 gp, and lasting for one hour, or until task is completed, which ever comes first. Sound ok?

DracoDei
2009-11-29, 03:16 AM
A cubic foot of volume wouldn't even be enough for a decent size anvil. It IS much better than nothing (having to fit in a 1 foot cube would be even more ridiculous, since they couldn't even do decent crowbars or sledge-hammers). I would say 1 cubic foot per character level should be slightly more interesting.
I especially think that at a certain level the GP limit should get high enough to get them masterwork tools.

arguskos
2009-11-29, 03:25 AM
Hmm. What about: 1 cu ft/HD, gp limit of 20 per HD, same duration limits. That look a bit better?

Fortuna
2009-11-29, 04:14 AM
Would you allow them to combine their summons? Because if so, then you may still have a problem. If not, then that scales very slwoly indeed. I would be inclined to let them, but put some kind of hard limit based on the most powerful in the summoning (maybe no more than twice the limit of that individual?)

arguskos
2009-11-29, 04:18 AM
Would you allow them to combine their summons? Because if so, then you may still have a problem. If not, then that scales very slwoly indeed. I would be inclined to let them, but put some kind of hard limit based on the most powerful in the summoning (maybe no more than twice the limit of that individual?)
...not sure I understand the question fully? Do you mean, are they able to combine uses of Adaptability? If so, the answer is "no". It's meant to be a racial ability that lets a silentium have the right tool for the job, not be an adventuring swiss knife (though, they ARE the best damn dudes in camp ever).

Also, how is 1 cubic foot of stuff per Hit Die with a max GP value of 20 per HD scale slowly? Is it because they can't make masterwork tools until level 16? If so, should I just remove the value cap, so they can make mwk tools whenever? They can't exactly sell them, so I don't see how that could really be an issue.

Fortuna
2009-11-29, 04:22 AM
Yes, you interpreted the question correctly. I bow to your design decision here.

arguskos
2009-11-29, 04:45 AM
Yes, you interpreted the question correctly. I bow to your design decision here.
Well, I didn't mean to shut you down there man. I just generate ideas at an insanely high pace, but typically need aid sorting things. How would you change the Adaptability GP Limit/Volume issue?