Help play test, monster/race

[Drackstin]

i am working on a new race for my game, also to be used as a monster in general, i was wondering if some people could help play test if, and make suggestions, i think i have it balanced but i am not sure.


Dynastian
+2 Str, +4 Dex, -2 Int, -2 Cha.
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Blindsense: The Dynastian naturally has blindsense starting at 40 ft, at 6 HD this increases to 80 ft, to a maximum of 120 ft at 12 HD.
Speed: 40 ft.
Flight: Equal to its base land speed with average maneuverability.
Immunity: magical sleep.
Resistance Electric 5
Exoskeleton: The Dynastian's Exoskeleton is extraordinarily tough and grows with them over time. A Dynastian has a +2 Natural Armor; this grows harder at 6 HD to +4 Natural Armor and again at 12 HD to +6 Natural Armor.
Multiple Limbs: 4 arms
Natural Attacks: 4 secondary claws, 1 primary gore
Static Charge (Ex): on a charge or dive, a foe damaged by your natural attacks make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the Dynastian's HD + its Wis modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next action). A stunned character can’t act, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC.
Blindness (Ex): The Dynastian cannot see normally. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. It does not, however, suffer the penalties normally for blindness:
spell-like abilities: 3/day - shocking grasp, orb of electricity; 1/day - lightning bolt. It's hit dice is counted as caster level for these spell-like abilities.
Racial Hit Dice: Two levels of Monstrous humanoid, 2d8 HD, +2 BAB, Fort +0, Ref +2, Wil +2.
Racial Skills: 5x(2+int mod) class skills: Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen.
Racial Feat: Hover (B) and one for its levels in monstrous humanoid, usually Improved Natural Attack (Gore), Improved Natural Attack (Claw), or Improved Initiative.
Automatic Languages: Common, Dynastian. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Sylvan, and Thri-kreen.
Favored Class: Ranger/Fighter
Level Adjustment: +2


A Dynastian resembles a beetle in humanoid shape, with 4 dragonfly like wings without the normal shell covering. a hard protective shell with a crescent shaped horn protects it head but renders it blind, although it has adapted to this being able to use its other seances to pinpoint things around it. it has 4 arms that end in 3 nailed claws, they normal stand about 7 feet tall and have a weight around 300 pounds. The Dynastian has also evolved to generates large electric currents by way of a highly specialized nervous system that has the capacity to synchronize the activity of disc-shaped, electricity-producing cells packed into a specialized electric organ. This allows it to store energy to use when needed.

[Kuulvheysoon]

This should probably go to the Homebrew sub-forum.

The line about blindness not affecting creatures usually only applies if they have blindsight, not blindsense.

[Drackstin]

This should probably go to the Homebrew sub-forum.

The line about blindness not affecting creatures usually only applies if they have blindsight, not blindsense.

i thought it should go in homebrew, but i wanted a larger amount of people to see it, i posted it in both for playtesting.

how would that effect the monster if its already blind though?

[Kuulvheysoon]

From the d20SRD


Blindsight And Blindsense

Some creatures have blindsight, the extraordinary ability to use a nonvisual sense (or a combination of such senses) to operate effectively without vision. Such sense may include sensitivity to vibrations, acute scent, keen hearing, or echolocation. This ability makes invisibility and concealment (even magical darkness) irrelevant to the creature (though it still can’t see ethereal creatures and must have line of effect to a creature or object to discern that creature or object). This ability operates out to a range specified in the creature description.

The creature usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures within range of its blindsight ability. Unless noted otherwise, blindsight is continuous, and the creature need do nothing to use it. Some forms of blindsight, however, must be triggered as a free action. If so, this is noted in the creature’s description. If a creature must trigger its blindsight ability, the creature gains the benefits of blindsight only during its turn.
Blindsight never allows a creature to distinguish color or visual contrast. A creature cannot read with blindsight.
Blindsight does not subject a creature to gaze attacks (even though darkvision does).
Blinding attacks do not penalize creatures using blindsight.
Deafening attacks thwart blindsight if it relies on hearing.
Blindsight works underwater but not in a vacuum.
Blindsight negates displacement and blur effects.

Most, if not all, completely blind creatures have blindsight (oozes, grimlocks, assassin vines, darkmantles, etc...) as a Special Quality.

[Drackstin]

From the d20SRD



Most, if not all, completely blind creatures have blindsight (oozes, grimlocks, assassin vines, darkmantles, etc...) as a Special Quality.

ok thank you for clearing that up

[drax75]

honestly its likely a bit to strong.

2HD and a +2 LA thats 4 total..... and i would argue this is a way stronger race then say a Half-Fiend/Half-Celestial which is also +4

Just to keep things in perspective.

[Drackstin]

well i took the thri-kreen and just swapped out abilities, even lost some, thats why i kept it at the ECL4 and being blind and only being able to target up to its movement or reducing the range of its spell-like abilities to 40 should account for some.

[drax75]

well i took the thri-kreen and just swapped out abilities, even lost some, thats why i kept it at the ECL4 and being blind and only being able to target up to its movement or reducing the range of its spell-like abilities to 40 should account for some.

Ok but their are benefits to being blind like not needing a save for certain visual illusions. They aren't effected by darkness, flare, and other spells that require sight. etc etc etc

In all you have to many special abilities. I would recommend you keep the 2 HD and raise the LA to +3/+4.

In this current incarnation i would not allow a player to play this in one of my games.

[Drackstin]

Ok but their are benefits to being blind like not needing a save for certain visual illusions. They aren't effected by darkness, flare, and other spells that require sight. etc etc etc

In all you have to many special abilities. I would recommend you keep the 2 HD and raise the LA to +3/+4.

In this current incarnation i would not allow a player to play this in one of my games.

well what could i change to make it +2LA, since i don't really want to go higher then that, and like i said i step for step swapped out abilities from the thri-kreen and some i just didn't even keep so he has less then they do.

and after looking at both of those half templates, i can say 2HD +LA 2 is not bad, the things that make them both +4 are the 10 resistance to 3 elements, spell resistance, damage reduction, and the have all positive stat adjustment, i would make their LA higher honestly

[Kuulvheysoon]

Dynastian[/B]

+2 Str, +4 Dex, -2 Int, -2 4 Cha.
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Blindsense: The Dynastian naturally has blindsense starting at 40 ft, at 6 HD this increases to 80 ft, to a maximum of 120 ft at 12 HD.

[I]Some sort of scaling blindsense would be appropriate - perhaps beggining at 30ft, increasing to 60ft @ ECL 8 (6HD+2LA) and 120ft at ECL 14 (12HD+2LA). Perhaps also mention the source of blindsense, so you know how it can be negated (is it echolocation, audible clues, etc...).


Speed: 40 ft.
Flight: 40ft (average maneuverability).
Immunity: magical sleep.
Resistance Electricity 5
Exoskeleton: The Dynastian's Exoskeleton is extraordinarily tough and grows with them over time. A Dynastian has a +2 Natural Armor; this grows harder at 6 HD to +4 Natural Armor and again at 12 HD to +6 Natural Armor.
Multiple Limbs: 4 arms
Natural Attacks: 4 secondary claws (1d4 + 1/2 Strength bonus), 1 primary gore (1d8 + full Strength bonus)
Static Charge (Ex): on a charge or dive, a foe damaged by your natural attacks make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the Dynastian's HD + its WisConstitution modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next action). A stunned character can’t act, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC.

This change is meant to reflect that the static charge ability is an inherent part of the creature's body. As well, stunned is a pretty serious condition. Perhaps something like prone*?

Blindness (Ex): The Dynastian cannot see normally. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. It does not, however, suffer the penalties normally for blindness.

Near-blindness (Ex): The Dynastian has incredibly poor eyesight. It cannot distinguish detail beyond 5ft, and cannot see anything at all beyond 10ft. If their blindsense is neutralized in any way, every opponent beyond 10ft is considered to have full concealment.

spell-like abilities: 3/day - shocking grasp, orb of electricity; 1/day - lightning bolt, haste. It's hit dice is counted as caster level for these spell-like abilities. Count it's caster level as 1/2 of total HD (racial + class levels).
Racial Hit Dice: Two levels of Monstrous humanoid, 2d8 HD, +2 BAB, Fort +0, Ref +2, Wil +2.
Racial Skills: 5x(2+int mod) class skills: Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen.
Racial Feat: Hover (B) and one for its levels in monstrous humanoid, usually Improved Natural Attack (Gore), Improved Natural Attack (Claw), or Improved Initiative.
Automatic Languages: Common, Dynastian. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Sylvan, and Thri-kreen.
Favored Class: Ranger/Fighter

Pick one. I'd lean more towards Ranger than Fighter, in all honesty.


Level Adjustment: +2
[/QUOTE]

*Prone (from the d20 SRD)


The character is on the ground. An attacker who is prone has a -4 penalty on melee attack rolls and cannot use a ranged weapon (except for a crossbow). A defender who is prone gains a +4 bonus to Armor Class against ranged attacks, but takes a -4 penalty to AC against melee attacks.

Standing up is a move-equivalent action that provokes an attack of opportunity.

[drax75]

well what could i change to make it +2LA, since i don't really want to go higher then that, and like i said i step for step swapped out abilities from the thri-kreen and some i just didn't even keep so he has less then they do.

and after looking at both of those half templates, i can say 2HD +LA 2 is not bad, the things that make them both +4 are the 10 resistance to 3 elements, spell resistance, damage reduction, and the have all positive stat adjustment, i would make their LA higher honestly

Maybe give it a weakness? it uses electricity so make it weak to a counter element? that would easily do for me. Maybe take 1/4 more damage from that damage source?

I think part of the issue is the flight, i dont think Thri-Kreen can fly (dont have the book handy) Being blind isnt a big enough draw back for this. At least not when your a player character, you have a party to help guide you and in combat you have blind sense. Plus like i said your immune to vision based attacked.

[drax75]

Dynastian[/B]

+2 Str, +4 Dex, -2 Int, -2 4 Cha.
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Blindsense: The Dynastian naturally has blindsense starting at 40 ft, at 6 HD this increases to 80 ft, to a maximum of 120 ft at 12 HD.

[I]Some sort of scaling blindsense would be appropriate - perhaps beggining at 30ft, increasing to 60ft @ ECL 8 (6HD+2LA) and 120ft at ECL 14 (12HD+2LA). Perhaps also mention the source of blindsense, so you know how it can be negated (is it echolocation, audible clues, etc...).


Speed: 40 ft.
Flight: 40ft (average maneuverability).
Immunity: magical sleep.
Resistance Electricity 5
Exoskeleton: The Dynastian's Exoskeleton is extraordinarily tough and grows with them over time. A Dynastian has a +2 Natural Armor; this grows harder at 6 HD to +4 Natural Armor and again at 12 HD to +6 Natural Armor.
Multiple Limbs: 4 arms
Natural Attacks: 4 secondary claws (1d4 + 1/2 Strength bonus), 1 primary gore (1d8 + full Strength bonus)
Static Charge (Ex): on a charge or dive, a foe damaged by your natural attacks make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the Dynastian's HD + its WisConstitution modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next action). A stunned character can’t act, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC.

This change is meant to reflect that the static charge ability is an inherent part of the creature's body. As well, stunned is a pretty serious condition. Perhaps something like prone*?

Blindness (Ex): The Dynastian cannot see normally. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. It does not, however, suffer the penalties normally for blindness.

Near-blindness (Ex): The Dynastian has incredibly poor eyesight. It cannot distinguish detail beyond 5ft, and cannot see anything at all beyond 10ft. If their blindsense is neutralized in any way, every opponent beyond 10ft is considered to have full concealment.

spell-like abilities: 3/day - shocking grasp, orb of electricity; 1/day - lightning bolt, haste. It's hit dice is counted as caster level for these spell-like abilities. Count it's caster level as 1/2 of total HD (racial + class levels).
Racial Hit Dice: Two levels of Monstrous humanoid, 2d8 HD, +2 BAB, Fort +0, Ref +2, Wil +2.
Racial Skills: 5x(2+int mod) class skills: Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen.
Racial Feat: Hover (B) and one for its levels in monstrous humanoid, usually Improved Natural Attack (Gore), Improved Natural Attack (Claw), or Improved Initiative.
Automatic Languages: Common, Dynastian. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Sylvan, and Thri-kreen.
Favored Class: Ranger/Fighter

Pick one. I'd lean more towards Ranger than Fighter, in all honesty.


Level Adjustment: +2


*Prone (from the d20 SRD)[/QUOTE]

Oh yes i like this much better then my suggestion, i would let someone play that in one of my games if they wanted.

[Drackstin]

Dynastian[/B]

+2 Str, +4 Dex, -2 Int, -2 4 Cha.
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Blindsense: The Dynastian naturally has blindsense starting at 40 ft, at 6 HD this increases to 80 ft, to a maximum of 120 ft at 12 HD.

[I]Some sort of scaling blindsense would be appropriate - perhaps beggining at 30ft, increasing to 60ft @ ECL 8 (6HD+2LA) and 120ft at ECL 14 (12HD+2LA). Perhaps also mention the source of blindsense, so you know how it can be negated (is it echolocation, audible clues, etc...).


Speed: 40 ft.
Flight: 40ft (average maneuverability).
Immunity: magical sleep.
Resistance Electricity 5
Exoskeleton: The Dynastian's Exoskeleton is extraordinarily tough and grows with them over time. A Dynastian has a +2 Natural Armor; this grows harder at 6 HD to +4 Natural Armor and again at 12 HD to +6 Natural Armor.
Multiple Limbs: 4 arms
Natural Attacks: 4 secondary claws (1d4 + 1/2 Strength bonus), 1 primary gore (1d8 + full Strength bonus)
Static Charge (Ex): on a charge or dive, a foe damaged by your natural attacks make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the Dynastian's HD + its WisConstitution modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next action). A stunned character can’t act, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC.

This change is meant to reflect that the static charge ability is an inherent part of the creature's body. As well, stunned is a pretty serious condition. Perhaps something like prone*?

Blindness (Ex): The Dynastian cannot see normally. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. It does not, however, suffer the penalties normally for blindness.

Near-blindness (Ex): The Dynastian has incredibly poor eyesight. It cannot distinguish detail beyond 5ft, and cannot see anything at all beyond 10ft. If their blindsense is neutralized in any way, every opponent beyond 10ft is considered to have full concealment.

spell-like abilities: 3/day - shocking grasp, orb of electricity; 1/day - lightning bolt, haste. It's hit dice is counted as caster level for these spell-like abilities. Count it's caster level as 1/2 of total HD (racial + class levels).
Racial Hit Dice: Two levels of Monstrous humanoid, 2d8 HD, +2 BAB, Fort +0, Ref +2, Wil +2.
Racial Skills: 5x(2+int mod) class skills: Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen.
Racial Feat: Hover (B) and one for its levels in monstrous humanoid, usually Improved Natural Attack (Gore), Improved Natural Attack (Claw), or Improved Initiative.
Automatic Languages: Common, Dynastian. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Sylvan, and Thri-kreen.
Favored Class: Ranger/Fighter

Pick one. I'd lean more towards Ranger than Fighter, in all honesty.


Level Adjustment: +2


*Prone (from the d20 SRD)[/QUOTE]

i do like the changes but, the description of the creature itself say its blind and why, it honestly has no eyes. so near-blindness wouldn't fit, but wouldn't blindsense counteract it anyway?

as for static charge, the ability is based on the creatures natural electric, kinda like walking on carpet with socks, the fast moment lets his body build a static charge and expels is on the first attack, maybe i didn't say first attack with natural weapon in the description. so maybe electric damage, or a daze affect.

although haste is nice but it doesn't really fit with him, i would rather have a weaker projectile to use, maybe lesser electric sphere. and i do see you got rid of the scaling spell lvl, 1d6 is pretty bad at higher lvls for most spells.

would giving something like the air domain work, were it would get like +5 electric resistance, and +5 earth weakness, so all earth spells do 5 more damage?

[drax75]

*Prone (from the d20 SRD)

i do like the changes but, the description of the creature itself say its blind and why, it honestly has no eyes. so near-blindness wouldn't fit, but wouldn't blindsense counteract it anyway?

as for static charge, the ability is based on the creatures natural electric, kinda like walking on carpet with socks, the fast moment lets his body build a static charge and expels is on the first attack, maybe i didn't say first attack with natural weapon in the description. so maybe electric damage, or a daze affect.

although haste is nice but it doesn't really fit with him, i would rather have a weaker projectile to use, maybe lesser electric sphere. and i do see you got rid of the scaling spell lvl, 1d6 is pretty bad at higher lvls for most spells.

would giving something like the air domain work, were it would get like +5 electric resistance, and +5 earth weakness, so all earth spells do 5 more damage?[/QUOTE]

the other Key part about orb spells is its only ranged touch, and they ignore SR so they can be surprisingly powerful. Thus my "Mailman" Sorcerer i am playing.

[Kuulvheysoon]

i do like the changes but, the description of the creature itself say its blind and why, it honestly has no eyes. so near-blindness wouldn't fit, but wouldn't blindsense counteract it anyway?

as for static charge, the ability is based on the creatures natural electric, kinda like walking on carpet with socks, the fast moment lets his body build a static charge and expels is on the first attack, maybe i didn't say first attack with natural weapon in the description. so maybe electric damage, or a daze affect.

although haste is nice but it doesn't really fit with him, i would rather have a weaker projectile to use, maybe lesser electric sphere. and i do see you got rid of the scaling spell lvl, 1d6 is pretty bad at higher lvls for most spells.

would giving something like the air domain work, were it would get like +5 electric resistance, and +5 earth weakness, so all earth spells do 5 more damage?

As I quoted before, Blindsense is not blindsight. Blindsense is more a sense of knowing roughly where everything is - like how dragons have such finely honed senses that they just know when something is close by. Blindsight, on the other hand, is completely adapting to a lack of vision, being able to see without seeing (think Daredevil).

As for the near-blindness, those details were mainly mentioned in case his blindsense got negated (which it can be, depending on source).

If you wanted blindsight, I'd probably pitch it as 60ft, nonscaling (as grimlocks). Not too sure how that'd affect the LA, as I try to not touch blindsight.

Hmmm... you know what might work? At-will electric jolt. I might agree with orb of lightning, lesser, except for my intense dislike (as a DM) of the entire orb series.

There are very few spells with the [earth] subtype that actually deal damage - Earth Bolt (CAr) is one of the few that I can think of.

[Drackstin]

the other Key part about orb spells is its only ranged touch, and they ignore SR so they can be surprisingly powerful. Thus my "Mailman" Sorcerer i am playing.

oh i see, i missed that part about the spell, well are there any other low level electric spells that i could use, i wanted to keep it 3/day 2 level 1 or lower spells, and the 1/d 3ed level spell.

sorry if this is in the wrong thread, but i haven't got anything from the homebrew at all.