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View Full Version : Gearlings, a new steampunk robotic race (P.E.A.C.H.)



Bobmufin52
2010-05-03, 06:01 PM
I’m planning to run Red Hand of Doom next semester with my roommates, and I’m going to be putting it into my homebrew setting I’ve been working on. The setting is basically just a world filled with steampunk stuff and this race is going to be an option for my players.
I’ll post the fluff most likely tonight, but I’m less concerned about the fluff and more if this race is LA +0

Gearlings

Gearlings racial traits
•Living construct
• The gearling gets a bonus to a certain ability score, depending on their special build (see below), -2 cha
•Small
•20 feet, even in medium and heavy armor
•Special build- Every Gearling is build to do a certain job, and they are given special tools to fulfill this ability by choosing one of the choices below.

oSword weapon- Gains a sword in one hand that can be protracted or retracted in a swift action.. Treat this weapon as a longsword for a small creature that deals slashing or piercing damage. If the weapon is protracted, any skill checks requiring your hands take a -10 on the check. The weapon can be removed if it’s damaged or if the Gearling wishes to replace the weapon with a masterwork or magical version (treat all costs as if it was added to a longsword). The Gearling is automatically proficient with this weapon. The Gearling gains weapon focus (special build: sword weapon) as a bonus feat at 1st level. Due to a Gearling with this build having familiarity with melee weapons, but not ranged, a Gearling with this build take a -2 on all attack rolls made with any ranged weapons. If a gearling has this special build, add +1 to their Str score.

oGun weapon- Gains a gun in one hand that can be protracted or retracted in a swift action. Treat this weapon as a ranged weapon that deals 1d8 of piercing damage at a range of 120 ft. The Gearling uses sling bullets for this gun and he must get them himself to use in his gun. The gun can hold only one sling bullet at a time. Reloading the gun takes a move action that provokes an attack of opportunity. The weapon can be removed if it’s damaged or if the Gearling wishes to replace the weapon with a masterwork or magical version (Treat all costs as if they were added to a heavy crossbow). If the weapon is protracted, any skill checks requiring your hands take a -10 on the check. The Gearling is automatically proficient with this weapon. The Gearling gains weapon focus (special build: gun weapon) as a bonus feat at 1st level. Due to a Gearling with this build having familiarity with range weapons, but not melee, a Gearling with this build take a -2 on all attack rolls made with any melee weapons. If a gearling has this special build, add +2 to their Dex score.

oSkill focus- +2 skill check to disable device, knowledge (any one), profession (any one), or craft (any one). If any of the skill checks require certain materials (except raw materials for craft and profession checks), the Gearling’s hand(s) can produce these materials so that you don’t take a -2 on the check due to not having the proper equipment to use the skill. If a gearling has this special build, add +2 to their Int score.
•Total focus- A Gearling has the power to attune his inner workings so that he gains a huge bonus his chosen special build. Once per day, before the dice roll is made you can choose to use your total focus. When you do you add +20 to the attack roll if you chose the sword weapon or gun weapon special build; or +20 to the chosen skill check for the skill focus special build. When you use this for a weapon it can be only the weapon that your special build gives you, not a different weapon. After using this ability, the Gearling becomes fatigued for the next 24 hours. This condition cannot be cured by other means than an 8-hours rest.
•-2 on bluff, diplomacy, disguise, and handle animals
•Due to the Gearling’s mechanical nature, they can’t be Druids or Sorcerers
•Favorite class: whatever is chosen at 1st level. When a Gearling starts to train for a certain profession, they dedicate a long time to learning and memorizing much about their class so that it becomes second nature to them, but they can only do this sort of dedicated study once in their life.

Lateral
2010-05-03, 06:27 PM
Not bad. Total Focus is easily munchkinable, but then again, so is everything. It would be overpowered if it weren't for the fatigue.
Bonus int clashes with sword/gun weapon, maybe have bonus STR for sword, DEX for gun, and INT for skill. Is this a PC race or an NPC race?
Remember to fluff the sling bullets into regular bullets...

Edit: Well, yes, I guess people still use slings today. Maybe, tho, you can have it use sling bullets OR special bullets and they get, say, +2 to hit and d10 damage when using the special bullets, but special bullets are expensive. It reflects how rifling makes bullets more accurate, and it seems not-unbalanced.
All in all, though, it's your race. Do it however you want.

Bobmufin52
2010-05-03, 07:04 PM
Not bad. Total Focus is easily munchkinable, but then again, so is everything. It would be overpowered if it weren't for the fatigue.
Bonus int clashes with sword/gun weapon, maybe have bonus STR for sword, DEX for gun, and INT for skill. Is this a PC race or an NPC race?
Remember to fluff the sling bullets into regular bullets...

I like the idea about the stat bonus being dependant on what the Gearling's specail build is, I'l work that in. And this is supose to be a PC race. As for the sling bullets, some people still use slings in this world, it's just that the people who built the Gearlings built it so they could use gun-like weapons with sling bullets was the idea.

Lix Lorn
2010-05-07, 05:17 AM
Looks interesting!
Only thing I wonder, is why can they not be Druids or Sorcerers, but can be Wizards, Clerics, Paladins, Dragonfire Adepts...? It just seems slightly random.

boomwolf
2010-05-07, 10:11 AM
Wizards, Paladins and Clerics are more of an educational source then sorcerer's bloodline powers, and druids are nature's servants, making a construct unlikely to be able to chase such a path.

As for Dragonfire Adapts, I'll assume he didn't start listing all, just core. because listing all will be a serious fuss.

Obrysii
2010-05-07, 10:14 AM
Looks interesting!
Only thing I wonder, is why can they not be Druids or Sorcerers, but can be Wizards, Clerics, Paladins, Dragonfire Adepts...? It just seems slightly random.

I agree. They shouldn't be forbidden from selecting any class. As far as I know, there are no races, monsters, or species that are specifically forbidden from entering a particular class.

Bobmufin52
2010-05-07, 12:51 PM
Boomwolf is correct as to why I restricted those 2 classes, and while I’ll admit class restriction is not seen in races, I included it because of fluff reasons that was inspired by a small note in the DMG on Pg. 171. Also, really sorry bout the fluff, a lot of stuff has happened recently, but my weekend is gonna be open for once in a long time, so I should be able to get it up soon! :smallbiggrin:

Thieves
2010-05-07, 01:04 PM
I feel that something like a system's habit or custom is not enough to outweigh a very sensible fluff decision. It's utterly nonsensical to have a machine worship nature, isn't it?

As for the sorcerer, there's a "bloodlines" conflict, but I guess a spontaneous casting class would be helpful, but then again: if they were computers, ok, they could possibly run research codes in the back of their brains to learn new spells, and that would be just the spells they could use. But gear-based machines have no way for the cogwheels to turn innovatively... There could perhaps be spells programmed into their core, always there, but inaccessible unless they actually think to move these specific ones. This, however, would require that a 1st level gearling be always created by 9-th-level-spells-knowing facilities / individuals. As in "You are exceptional: created by an 18th level sorcerer (well...) who embodied the spells in you, but you have to get them by developing yourself."

Perhaps rather than banning classes you could ban class concepts; you couldn't possibly weed out all druid- or sorcerer-similar classes.

Weapons: if it provokes an attack of opportunity to pull it out, then I guess it means you have to basically stand still or use your other hand to let it out? I think that just clicking one clasp that's actually inside your arm could be a swift action.

Gun weapon - 120 ft. range increment? That means some serious sniping, do you think it fits a handgun? Also, reloading shouldn't be a standard action, this cuts you in half when it comes to efficiency; I'd say to treat it as light crossbow in all aspects, except that it requires sling bullets. (Which is not that compulsory either, bolts are cool ;d)

"-2 on bluff, diplomacy, disguise, and handle animals" Why not Gather Information or Intimidate? Do you think these are necessary at all given their -2 Charisma?

Total Focus abusable? It's a +20 on one attack once per day, so not so much. +20 to skills, yes, that's right. Perhaps you could rule it's only reactive, and not creative skills, e.g. Bluff, Diplomacy, Craft? That would be difficult fluff-wise, I guess...

"After using this, the Gearling becomes fatigued for the next 24 hours or after 8 hours of rest (treat this like the 8 hours a wizard needs to prepare his spells)." Ambiguous, as if he became fatigued for 24 hours AFTER resting for 8 hours - also the wizard doesn't need 8 hours to prepare spells (that's ~1 hour), but to rest. Normally, fatigue is also healed by an 8-hours rest. Seems you want to do it so that it cannot be cured in any way other than resting, right? If so, do you want it then to stack with normal fatigue for purposes of exhaustion? "After using this ability, the Gearling becomes fatigued for the next 24 hours. This condition cannot be cured by other means than an 8-hours rest." Is this okay?

You could list "being Small" traits. Aaand... if they are robots, what prohibits anyone from making a Medium (or even a Large) one?

Overall, I like the concept; so far, to me it seems to be LA -0.5.

sigurd
2010-05-07, 01:47 PM
I'd change the total focus to be more easily used.

+5 once every four hours. The Gearling is -1 on all actions until the four hours are spent.


+20 really is a remarkable bonus and hard to balance as a negative.


I like the idea.


Sigurd

Bobmufin52
2010-05-07, 02:29 PM
Perhaps rather than banning classes you could ban class concepts; you couldn't possibly weed out all druid- or sorcerer-similar classes.

So I should just say the Gearling can’t take leaves in any nature based or spontaneous casting classes? I could do that, but I specified sorcerer and Druid cuse they’re in the core books, and I don’t want to go through all the supplement books…


Weapons: if it provokes an attack of opportunity to pull it out, then I guess it means you have to basically stand still or use your other hand to let it out? I think that just clicking one clasp that's actually inside your arm could be a swift action.

The idea was that it comes out of their arms with just machinery. I was going to make it a swift action to ready the weapon, but I though it didn’t really think steam would work that fast. However you have some VERY good points so getting them out will be a swift action now.


Gun weapon - 120 ft. range increment? That means some serious sniping, do you think it fits a handgun? Also, reloading shouldn't be a standard action, this cuts you in half when it comes to efficiency; I'd say to treat it as light crossbow in all aspects, except that it requires sling bullets. (Which is not that compulsory either, bolts are cool ;d)

120 ft is a long range for a handgun. But I was thinking of the Gearling’s gun weapon as more of a rifle than a handgun. XD I will make it a move action to reload, since that’s what I originally meant to make it, not a standard action… >_> And I’m sticking with sling bullets, cuse I really can’t see a wooden bolts being fired very effectively from a blast of steam. :p


"-2 on bluff, diplomacy, disguise, and handle animals" Why not Gather Information or Intimidate? Do you think these are necessary at all given their -2 Charisma?

I didn’t give a penalty to gather information because while a Gearling may not fully understand living beings, they can still ask proper questions without trouble to find out what they need to know, and not to intimidate because Gearlings can still know what to say to scare their enemies. (like giving a highly logical speech about how easy it will be to slice and dice them up. :smallamused:)


Total Focus abusable? It's a +20 on one attack once per day, so not so much. +20 to skills, yes, that's right. Perhaps you could rule it's only reactive, and not creative skills, e.g. Bluff, Diplomacy, Craft? That would be difficult fluff-wise, I guess...

Um, the +20 to a skill can only be used if the Gearling took a bonus to a skill for its special build and it can only use the +20 with its special build skill. And it can only use the +20 to an attack only if it took a weapon for its special build, and it can only be added to that weapon. Was that not clear in the stats?… :(


"After using this, the Gearling becomes fatigued for the next 24 hours or after 8 hours of rest (treat this like the 8 hours a wizard needs to prepare his spells)." Ambiguous, as if he became fatigued for 24 hours AFTER resting for 8 hours - also the wizard doesn't need 8 hours to prepare spells (that's ~1 hour), but to rest. Normally, fatigue is also healed by an 8-hours rest. Seems you want to do it so that it cannot be cured in any way other than resting, right? If so, do you want it then to stack with normal fatigue for purposes of exhaustion? "After using this ability, the Gearling becomes fatigued for the next 24 hours. This condition cannot be cured by other means than an 8-hours rest." Is this okay?

I’m going to use your wording, it’s easier to understand. (What the whole wizard thing was supposed to mean was that a wizard can’t prepare any new spells until they rested for 8 hours, and then they could prepare them in ~1 hour.)


"You could list "being Small" traits. Aaand... if they are robots, what prohibits anyone from making a Medium (or even a Large) one?

The fluff idea behind them being small is that while it’s possible to make Gearlings bigger, the cost of the extra material, the stronger engine for the extra power needed to run the bigger parts, and the overall fact that it’s really hard to make medium sized robots run smoothly means that being small in size became the norm for practical reasons for the builders. (Also, fyi, I’m kinda toying with the idea of racial feats for this race; one of which can only be taken at 1st lv. that makes the Gearling a medium creature.)


Overall, I like the concept; so far, to me it seems to be LA -0.5.

Thanks! :D I hope the changes will bring it up that ,5 I need.

Lateral
2010-05-07, 02:44 PM
Actually, crossbows fire metal bolts. A wooden one would explose into woodchips when fired out of a crossbow.

...

Anyway, like I said, this is a good race, but what makes them so different from warforged except the small size?

@V: Yes, bullets are better for the fluff, and more mechanically viable (sling bullets are extremely cheap, after all). I'm just nitpicky. :smalltongue:
Also, I see what you mean about warforged being built for war.

Bobmufin52
2010-05-07, 02:52 PM
Actually, crossbows fire metal bolts. A wooden one would explose into woodchips when fired out of a crossbow.

Really? I never knew that! :x I think I'm still staying with the sling bullets, it just fits my idea of the gun weapon better.



Anyway, like I said, this is a good race, but what makes them so different from warforged except the small size?

Well, I was hoping this race would be a bit more generalized in what it does than the Warfoged being made (at first) solely for war. Also, I just didn't like the warfoge's fluff for my campaign setting.

Thieves
2010-05-07, 06:47 PM
Were these metal back then? Nowadays they are, but it wouldn't be very economical in the middle ages, I guess... But that's not really relevant.

"Total Focus abusable" I responded to a previous poster about 'munchkinnablility'. Nothing wrong with the attack, for me. However, if you have skills... Let's say you are using a Diplomacy check to act in Congress, or Craft check to make something totally out of this world. Using Total Focus for that every day, you could have stellar results and total domination, mechanics-wise. There are ways to limit that, mainly in the hands of the DM, but that's just that, and no real barrier from the ability's side.

Now that I think of it, maybe a +2 on Disable Device and Craft / Knowledge (machinery)? Would go well with them being machines and knowing something about themselves, I suppose.

Bobmufin52
2010-05-07, 06:57 PM
Were these metal back then? Nowadays they are, but it wouldn't be very economical in the middle ages, I guess... But that's not really relevant.

"Total Focus abusable" I responded to a previous poster about 'munchkinnablility'. Nothing wrong with the attack, for me. However, if you have skills... Let's say you are using a Diplomacy check to act in Congress, or Craft check to make something totally out of this world. Using Total Focus for that every day, you could have stellar results and total domination, mechanics-wise. There are ways to limit that, mainly in the hands of the DM, but that's just that, and no real barrier from the ability's side.

Now that I think of it, maybe a +2 on Disable Device and Craft / Knowledge (machinery)? Would go well with them being machines and knowing something about themselves, I suppose.

I can see a bit of a problem with the skill, but it's really focused... Mabey if I lower the bonus? Also, I know it's a nitpic, but you can't use total focus for diplomacy, the only skill that gets the bonus is the skill that the specail build skill for the Gearling.

Thieves
2010-05-07, 07:19 PM
Right, I didn't read it closely, no Diplomacy. But still these are also quite problematic.

Disable Device is ok, you concentrate real good.

Knowledge is funny on the whole, but not really broken. You either know something or you don't, and the roll is simply about whether you know this one particular fact that may come in handy. So pretty much any bonus (in the whole system, not just from Total Focus) implies either that you 1) suddenly have more luck that you learned something earlier on, or 2) that you reach very deep down into your memory. Now, 2 could be possible, but not really for machines, who always have access to what memory they want... But maybe looking for it in the Windows folder without the Search button? So yeah, probably could work this way. "My data folders are quite rusty."

Profession is usually counted in days of work, I believe. Concentrating on selling carrots or carrying boxes for a round or two doesn't make your Good Worker score go up by 20. I don't know what to do with it. It's certainly ok to have as a build skill... Perhaps +20 Appraise or +20 Knowledge related to items connected to this profession (so you can get a +20 Know if really want to know what kind of flour this is if you're a baker and/or for how much it will sell)?

Craft... I'm no optimizer / creation-whiz, but I believe there's more than a handful of ways to abuse high rolls for this.

+ varying attributes is a good idea; did you write +1 Strength intentionally or is it meant to be only +1?

Bobmufin52
2010-05-07, 07:31 PM
Right, I didn't read it closely, no Diplomacy. But still these are also quite problematic.

Disable Device is ok, you concentrate real good.

Knowledge is funny on the whole, but not really broken. You either know something or you don't, and the roll is simply about whether you know this one particular fact that may come in handy. So pretty much any bonus (in the whole system, not just from Total Focus) implies either that you 1) suddenly have more luck that you learned something earlier on, or 2) that you reach very deep down into your memory. Now, 2 could be possible, but not really for machines, who always have access to what memory they want... But maybe looking for it in the Windows folder without the Search button? So yeah, probably could work this way. "My data folders are quite rusty."

Profession is usually counted in days of work, I believe. Concentrating on selling carrots or carrying boxes for a round or two doesn't make your Good Worker score go up by 20. I don't know what to do with it. It's certainly ok to have as a build skill... Perhaps +20 Appraise or +20 Knowledge related to items connected to this profession (so you can get a +20 Know if really want to know what kind of flour this is if you're a baker and/or for how much it will sell)?

Craft... I'm no optimizer / creation-whiz, but I believe there's more than a handful of ways to abuse high rolls for this.

+ varying attributes is a good idea; did you write +1 Strength intentionally or is it meant to be only +1?

Hmm, I like the idea for the +20 to Appraise for the profession instead of the +20 to the profession itself. As for craft....Mabey limit it diffrently; like you only get the bonus once a month?

Also, yes I meant only +1 to Str, because -2 Cha is hardly a banace for +2 Str.

Flickerdart
2010-05-07, 07:41 PM
Give them the full +2. STR isn't a super-special stat that's magically worth the most, regardless of what WotC thinks.

Bobmufin52
2010-05-07, 07:45 PM
Give them the full +2. STR isn't a super-special stat that's magically worth the most, regardless of what WotC thinks.

It has been a bit in my experince though. :x

Mando Knight
2010-05-07, 09:35 PM
It has been a bit in my experince though. :x

Your experience is likely wrong. The power of a racial +2 Strength is nothing compared to the power of Magic.

To continue the conversation, one would have to accuse me of "sorcerous ways" and holding to a "sad religion." Both of which grant magic, and would kill one in an instant.

Lateral
2010-05-08, 08:06 PM
To continue the conversation, one would have to accuse me of "sorcerous ways" and holding to a "sad religion." Both of which grant magic, and would kill one in an instant.

...???

... I don't get it.

Saveducks
2010-05-09, 03:19 AM
Hey back to that thing about druids the phb says" Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor;" the gearlings being metal could easily be considered a violation of this.

Lix Lorn
2010-05-09, 05:54 AM
Hey back to that thing about druids the phb says" Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor;" the gearlings being metal could easily be considered a violation of this.

See, now THAT'S a good reason. XD