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View Full Version : The Mook, A Homebrewed Subrace



Kane0
2012-01-12, 01:24 AM
I posted this in another thread a while back while discussing minions, but i thought on it some more and thought id share my final product :smallsmile:

Mook,
Human Subrace

Medium Size: As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size
Speed: 30ft
Languages: Common
Bonus Languages: Any
Favored Class: Any

+2 to any one Attribute

+4 Extra Skill points at first level
However, Mooks do not gain an extra feat at first level or an extra 1 skill points for every level after first.

Pliable: -2 To Will saves and +2 to Disguise checks except to disguise or hide mark (see below)

Devoted follower: Mooks gain half again the beneficial effects of mass-buffs from allies. For example Mass Bull’s Strength from a friendly caster gives +6 to Strength instead of +4. A Mook cannot gain this benefit from his own buff in this way.

Inept Leadership: Mooks cannot take the leadership feat and cannot be in control of more than one henchman/cohort/follower, nor can they lead more creatures than their combined Wisdom and Intelligence bonuses.

Marked: Every Mook is invariably under the control or guidance of some other creature. This bond takes a physical form of a mark similar to a tattoo or birthmark on some place on the Mook’s body. This mark is of magical nature (emanating a magic aura) and cannot be removed or altered unless the Mook goes under a change of leadership, in which case the Mark takes a different form. This has no effect on the Mook other than identification of their leader.

Fluff:
Long ago at the dawn of humankind the (Insert old & powerful race here, Elves and Dragons work well) took an interest in the fledgling race and took some aside to help serve their purposes. Through design (or accident) of both magical and mundane nature these humans lost their ability to lead, without losing their intelligence. Their lifespans extended to an average of 200 years but they lost their ability to crossbreed like other humans and developed marks that displayed their allegiance.
As time went by Mooks became like a resource, becoming valuable (and often expendable) labour; being lent, traded or sold to other races. Any Mooks left without leaders wandered aimlessly and (unless luckily saved) did not survive long.
Mooks that stay in the service of one race over many generations develop features similar to their leaders. For example, Mooks in the company of elves often have pointed ears, those among orcs small fangs, those under dragons tiny slightly coloured scales, etc.
Mooks are versatile and easily lead, flowing into any role that their leaders require. They devote themselves to those that can lead, on instinct as much as tradition. Mooks thoroughly believe they are better off in the service of others, but they are not stupid nor suicidal. If a group of Mooks sees a clear superiority of, and a chance of survival with, another creature they can and will change leaders, although their abuse is common and they are wary of any leader, current or prospective. Their loyalty is directly related to how content they are and how competent the leader is.

Mook related plots hooks:
-Mooks as a resource are running out, and everyone is fighting over the last of them. The PCs are hired/asked/begged to help end the problem. (Solutions include: Killing them all, the PCs securing them, repopulating them across all factions, capturing them for allied cause, keeping the remainder for themselves, etc)
-Finding a ‘cure’ for the Mooks to become human again is tasked to the PCs
-The Mooks are rebelling (which may be a plot in itself) and if they succeed it will destabilize the entire area both politically and economically
-One leader/group/faction has too many Mooks and is a threat to the whole area.

Edit: Added info as NeoSeraphi suggested

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-12, 01:35 AM
Little bit of critique here:

In your example for Devoted Follower, just say "gets +6 to its Strength score instead of +4" (unless this is a 3.0 subrace)

Otherwise, this looks like a cool race. I suggest, however, that you go all the way and present it in the standard SRD format (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/races.htm), listing their size, type, speed, favored class, etc.