PDA

View Full Version : Need help - Build me a gatortaur



Fouredged Sword
2011-03-11, 02:11 PM
Ok, I have an awsome game idea sparked by a aquatic race thread on the forums, and I would love to run a game around a swamp/island culture of lizardfolk/crocodile taurs.

The only problem is the 5 HD and LA.

I am looking for ideas about homebrewing a race. I am looking for a low HD, low LA race that can be played into any class. It needs to function in and out of water and in most any class. I would also like to build a bunch of low level tech for them to wield.

So playground, what are your thoughts?

Land Outcast
2011-03-11, 02:37 PM
You mean like a Alligator/Bull/Humanoid ?

Ursus the Grim
2011-03-11, 03:40 PM
Primitive weapons are pretty simple to figure out. Greatclubs, blowguns, javelins. Or did you have something else in mind?

Also, is it acceptable that they be medium? Most quadrupeds are at least large side, but large creatures tend to have a moderate level adjustments. Would you really like a base, EL 1 race? Would you prefer hit die or special abilities? As I see it, you want something along the lines of the dracotaur in form. Primarily quadrupedal scaly beast with functional biped arms.

Fouredged Sword
2011-03-11, 03:41 PM
Lizardman top, crocodile legs and tail. Aquatic reptile centaur.

I want something unique as well. I am thinking a bonus to climb checks and the ability to hold, but not wield items with the for legs in water.

Beyond that large build on a medium creature. The ability to hold thier breathe for 8 X con score rounds and 30ft swim speed. Stability and carry bonuses for four legs.

I am somewhat at a loss beyond that. What lizardman abilities should I scale back and what should the stat modifiers be to prevent the LA going over +1?

Should I allow a bite, two claws and a tail slap on a LA +1 race, or should I remove the claws? Also natural armor. I would like to leave it high to counter the higher penelty for AC check penelty with so much swiming, but how high should I leave it?

Lyndworm
2011-03-11, 06:46 PM
Well, the following is a completely RAW Crocodylitaur - a Tauric Poisondusk Lizardfolk/Crocodile.

Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 30 ft
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dexterity, +4 natural), or 16 (+1 Dexterity, +4 natural, +1 buckler), touch 11, flat-footed 14 or 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+12
Attack: Claw +8 melee (1d3+4) or longsword +8 melee (1d8+4); or tail slap +8 melee (1d12+4); or shortbow +5 ranged (1d6/x3); or bola +5 ranged (1d4+4 nonlethal or ranged trip)
Full Attack: 2 claws +8 melee (1d3+4) and bite +6 melee (1d3+2); or longsword +8 melee (1d8+4) and bite +6 melee (1d3+2); or tail slap +8 melee (1d12+4); or or shortbow +5 ranged (1d6/x3); or bola +5 ranged (1d4+4 nonlethal or ranged trip)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison Use
Special Qualities: Chameleon skin, darkvision 60ft, hold breath, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +4
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 9
Skills: Balance +4, Jump +7, Hide +6, Listen +2, Spot +2, Swim +10
Feats: Multiattack, Alertness
Environment: Warm marshes
Organization: Solitary or colony (6-11)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: 50% coins; 50% goods; 50% items
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +4

Hold Breath
A Crocodylitaur can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to four times its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

Poison Use:
Due to their long tradition of working with venoms, Crocodylitaurs are never at risk when applying poisons to weapons. Common poisons include black adder venom and blue whinnis.

Chameleon Skin (Ex):
Crocodylitaurs can adjust the colors of their scales to blend in with their surroundings. When it is not wearing armor, robes or other covering clothing, a Crocodylitaur gains a +5 racial bonus on Hide checks.

Skills
Because of their tails, Crocodylitaurs have a +4 racial bonus on Jump and Balance checks. The skill modifiers given in the statistics block include a -1 armor check penalty (-2 on Swim checks) for carrying a buckler. A Crocodylitaur has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.



Crocodylitaurs As Characters

Crocodylitaur characters possess the following racial traits.

+8 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +6 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
Medium size.
A Crocodylitaur’s base land speed is 20 feet. It has a swim speed of 30 ft.
Racial Hit Dice: A Crocodylitaur begins with four levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 4d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +4, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +4, and Will +4.
Racial Skills: A Crocodylitaur’s monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 7 × (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Balance, Jump, Hide, Listen, Spot and Swim. A Crocodylitaur has a +4 racial bonus on Balance and Jump checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks. A Crocodylitaur can apply poison without endangering itself. Its chameleon skin allows it a +5 racial bonus on Hide checks.
Racial Feats: A Crocodylitaur's monstrous humanoid levels give it two feats.
+4 natural armor bonus.
Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d3), bite (1d3), and tail slap (1d12).
Special Qualities (see above): Chameleon skin, darkvision 60ft, hold breath, low-light vision
Weapon Familiarity: Crocodylitaurs treat bolas and nets as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
Automatic Languages: Draconic, Common. Bonus Languages: Halfling, Sylvan.
Favored Class: Ranger. A multiclassed Crocodylitaur’s ranger class does not count when determining whether it takes an XP penalty.
After comparing the above to other races (especially the Centaur), you could definitely drop the LA to +1, or halve both the RHD and LA, and keep it balanced.

Ursus the Grim
2011-03-11, 08:36 PM
What about mental capacity? Is it okay to penalize the the intelligence and wisdom of them? This can go a long way to balance it out for you.

I know you want it to work for nearly any class, but the way you're describing it, its bound to have a notable Con and Str. This means it would be better for barbs and fighters, meaning there are better classes for it than others.

Fouredged Sword
2011-03-11, 08:38 PM
I think the above with +2 str, +0 dex, and +2 con, -0 cha sounds better so to not have crazy stats on players.

Two racial HD and one LA sound about the level I am going for, with one racial HD turning into class with character level and LA buy off.

I do want to add on the versitile forleg as such
Versitile Forlegs
- The forlegs of a Dur-ja (the name for this race in the world I am makeing) are somewhat built like hands, granting a Dur-ja a +4 to climb checks and the ability to climb a surface without useing thier hands at a -8 penelty (-4 after the bonus). Also a Dur-ja can hold items in thier for legs while swiming, allowing them to hand them to a free hand as a free action. Items held in the forleg can't be used as weapons or for any action that takes dexterous movement or the ability to reach the face or head (the arms are short so no drinking potions or reading scrolls) - Many Dur-ja hold spare nets in thier forlegs to use during fishing and hunting in open waters.

Ursus the Grim
2011-03-11, 08:50 PM
Well, an ECL 3 opens up a few things. Namely, it makes it possible to simply use a Lizardfolk as a starting point and tweak it. This is what I'm thinking.

Base Speed 30, Swim 40
+2 Str, +2 Con
Medium Size
2 Monstrous Humanoid Hit Die
+3 Natural Armor bonus
2 claws and Bite attack (d4 each)
No racial weapon or armor proficiencies.
Hold Breath (as Lizardfolk)
Racial boost to Balance and jump? (Swim bonus would be subsumed by Swim Speed bonus.)

Versatile Forelegs Ability. But how does a +4 bonus and a -8 penalty come to -2?

Loss: Lower Natural Armor, No Racial Proficiencies.

Gained: No Int penalty. Swim Speed. Racial Bonus to Climb checks.

Considering Lizardfolk is often considered underpowered for ECL 3, I would consider this balanced.

Fouredged Sword
2011-03-11, 09:02 PM
Bad math, was going to say -6. I will fix.

I like the first setup actualy, once lowered to more player friendly level. I like the poison immunity and the natual armor bonus will help with the game being so low equipment.

I am planing to run a game with four elemental races living in one world. Sorta a dark gritty avatar with crazy races and no actual elemental bending or avatar.

Dur-ja are the race of water. The story will be of them being forced off thier swamps by the fire race, the Kad-ja. (a group of human looking people with the ability to shot fire inately (born with a 1d6 fire damage ranged touch attack) and racial weapons as early firearms (useing thier inate fire ability to bypass a fireing mechanism). They simply burn the swamps until the Dur-ja are forced to leave. Those that wished to stay and fight faced a swamp poisioned by ash, killing most the food stocks.

This forces the survivors to travel far to the west to the western islands, a trip made across an ocean in small groups of cannoes and other floats.

The other races are the bird rideing people of the air (running birds, not flying, but the people can glide) and the nomadic people of the earth who live in the desert. I am thinking of a raptoran base for the air people, but souped up to the LA / RHD level of the other races. The Earth people are probobly going to be something with the mineral warrior template, maybe elves.

All the base races I plan to have 2 racial HD and one LA. I have prety much decided on the Dur-ja, but any ideas on the others?

Mayhem
2011-03-12, 07:43 AM
Gnolls have 2 RHD and LA+1, so you could use them as a desert race. Might want to give them endurance as a bonus feat though.
You could also use the half-ogre from savage species. Just add 2 racial HD and it becomes pretty balanced.
Goliaths would be pretty good too, but you'll have to change them.

Fouredged Sword
2011-03-12, 08:56 AM
The desert dwelers are peaceful nomads. I like the idea of an elf mineral warrior base. Maybe add some abilities onto that to justify two racial HD. They have a very zen feel in the story and have a philosophy that the sands shal scour away all with time, and thus struggle with outside forces is pointless.

This is somewhat turning into a worldbuilding exercise, what fun!

I am thinking something like this


Medium Humanoid (Elf)
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (12 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Earth Strike (Ex). Once per day, the character adds its Con score to its attack roll and adds +1 damager per character level.
Special Qualities: Elven traits, Darkvison 60ft, dr8/adamantine
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +1, Will -1*
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +1, Listen +2, Search +3, Spot +2, Survival +5, Knowledge History +9, Knowledge Religion +9
Feats: Skill focus (knowledge religion), Skill focus (Knowledge History)
Treasure: Standard Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic good
Advancement: By character class By character class
Level Adjustment: +1

As Players

•+2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution.
•Medium size.
•base land speed is 30 feet.
•Racial Hit Dice:2 levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +3.
•Racial Skills:monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 × (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Balance, Jump, Hide, Listen, Spot and Swim.
•Racial Feats:monstrous humanoid levels give it one feat.
•+3 natural armor bonus.
•Natural Weapons: none
•Special Qualities (see above): Earth Strike, elf traits, darkvision 60ft, dr8/adamantine
•Automatic Languages: Draconic, Common. Bonus Languages: Halfling, Sylvan.
•Favored Class: cleric. A multiclassed cleric class does not count when determining whether it takes an XP penalty.