willpell
2012-04-21, 04:29 AM
Exported from the Simple Rules Question thread.
A725
The Krenshar is indeed a playable race. There are other creatures with LA listed which don't have "hands" in the traditional sense (like the Grimalkin from MM2). Generally, these creatures would have quite a hard time as PCs, with difficulties in using equipment.
Not to mention using a fair number of skills (especially if you account for the fact that a creature of a basically animal mindset might have difficulty using skills like Sense Motive, Diplomacy, or even Bluff). I've often wished the rules officially clarified which skills don't apply to nonhumanoid characters, as this is an issue that every druid and high-level ranger or paladin (animal companions and mounts) and most sorcerer/wizards (familiars) needs to know. I end up ad-hoc'ing it every time, leading to weird judgment calls like letting a dog Sense Motive but not Bluff while a cat gets the reverse.
For this matter, can anyone see any logic whatsoever to the distinction which makes true dragons, krenshars, and a few other such examples playable races, while manticores and nightmares and so forth are cohort-only, and other creatures that possess both intelligence and hands list no LA and thus can't be played at all? One particularly glaring example of the latter is the Wight; most wights are controlled spawn and thus couldn't be played, but is there any reason that a wight whose master was destroyed mightn't become a player character? Another stumper is the Babau demon, who is weaker than the playable Succubus or Hezrou but can't be played.
A725
The Krenshar is indeed a playable race. There are other creatures with LA listed which don't have "hands" in the traditional sense (like the Grimalkin from MM2). Generally, these creatures would have quite a hard time as PCs, with difficulties in using equipment.
Not to mention using a fair number of skills (especially if you account for the fact that a creature of a basically animal mindset might have difficulty using skills like Sense Motive, Diplomacy, or even Bluff). I've often wished the rules officially clarified which skills don't apply to nonhumanoid characters, as this is an issue that every druid and high-level ranger or paladin (animal companions and mounts) and most sorcerer/wizards (familiars) needs to know. I end up ad-hoc'ing it every time, leading to weird judgment calls like letting a dog Sense Motive but not Bluff while a cat gets the reverse.
For this matter, can anyone see any logic whatsoever to the distinction which makes true dragons, krenshars, and a few other such examples playable races, while manticores and nightmares and so forth are cohort-only, and other creatures that possess both intelligence and hands list no LA and thus can't be played at all? One particularly glaring example of the latter is the Wight; most wights are controlled spawn and thus couldn't be played, but is there any reason that a wight whose master was destroyed mightn't become a player character? Another stumper is the Babau demon, who is weaker than the playable Succubus or Hezrou but can't be played.