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View Full Version : You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch... [Race]



Jarl
2006-12-10, 04:53 PM
In the north, where the night is cold and lasts forever, there exists a race of arctic orcs, living more or less in peace with their elvish cousins. Possessed of tricky tempers and an unusual heart condition, many Whats die of stress related causes long before they reach age 50. Those who do pass the mark often live long, grouchy lives. They're master tinkerers, and surprisingly keen thinkers. Covered in a rough, thick coat of protective fur, Whats are likely the source of yeti legends in backwards human villages.

What

Medium Humanoid (Orc)
+2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, -4 Charisma, -4 Wisdom: Whats are clever creatures, and fantastically strong, but they also tend to be somewhat boring or repulsive, and inattentive to others.
Speed: 30 ft. Climb 10 ft.
Claws (Ex): Whats have sizeable, sharp claws that deal 1d2 damage on each hand.
Bonus Skills: A What gains 4 extra skill points at first level.
Racial Skill/Save Bonus: +1 bonus to Fort Save rolls, +1 bonus to all crafting rolls.
Automatic Languages: Who, Orc.
Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass What's Rogue class does not count when determining whether he/she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level Adjustment: +0

-I figure the obvious next step is to create Whos.

Mewtarthio
2006-12-10, 05:52 PM
Shouldn't the favored class be Rogue? I don't think The Grinch flew into a rage and smashed Whoville so much as he slithered and slunk with a smile most unpleasent around the whole room as he took every present.

3 extra skill points at first level and 1 each additional level seems odd. Shouldn't it be 4 at first level?

And when was The Grinch ever called a What? I thought he was just a Grinch.

Krimm_Blackleaf
2006-12-10, 06:14 PM
I have to agree, the grinch seemed a very rogueish fellow to me.

Yuki Akuma
2006-12-10, 07:55 PM
"Orc" isn't a creature type.

Falconsflight
2006-12-10, 08:05 PM
Now all we need is a "I don't know" and a baseball diamond...

Jarl
2006-12-11, 12:08 AM
Shouldn't the favored class be Rogue? I don't think The Grinch flew into a rage and smashed Whoville so much as he slithered and slunk with a smile most unpleasent around the whole room as he took every present.

I didn't want to change too much from half orc. But yeah, it should be something to that tune.


3 extra skill points at first level and 1 each additional level seems odd. Shouldn't it be 4 at first level?
Thought it would be too many. Maybe make it 4 at first, no additional?


And when was The Grinch ever called a What? I thought he was just a Grinch.
A line in the movie that kinda stuck with me. Cindy asks her dad if the Grinch is a Who (he isn't, clearly) and he responds, "Not really, no, he's more, he's more of a... uh... a..." and she asks, "A what?" and he responds, "Yes, yes, he's a 'What'."

"Orc" isn't a creature type.
Well drat. Didn't know. Humanoid should do it, right?

-This is my first race, clearly.

Jarl
2006-12-11, 12:22 AM
Far to the north live a race of peaceful elves. Beset on all sides by ice, rock, and unpleasent yet mostly harmless Whats, the Whos are honest, hardworking folk who like nothing more than to be with their families for the holidays, and enjoy a nice juicy roast beast.

Who

Medium Humanoid (Elf)
+2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom, -2 Strength: Whos are friendly, pastoral folk, and well aclimatized to the freezing days and nights of the far north.
Speed: 30 ft.
Who Noses (Ex): Whos have powerful yet adorable button noses, used to sniff out predators, identify other Whos, and just to get a good whiff of that yummy roast beast. All Whos have the Scent (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#scent) ability, with a base range of 20 feet (Upwind 40, downwind 10).
Bonus Skills: A What gains Perform (Sing) as a class feature permanently.
Racial Skill/Save Bonus: +1 bonus to all Perform rolls.
Automatic Languages: Who, Elf.
Favored Class: Bard. A multiclass Who's Bard class does not count when determining whether he/she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level Adjustment: +0

-Fiddled with the modifiers and switched out the mod switcher with Scent, which feels better to me.

Balesirion
2006-12-11, 01:39 AM
I'm not sure about the who, a +1 racial ability adjustment just isn't really usefull, because it won't always raise the ability modifier.

Yuki Akuma
2006-12-11, 02:57 AM
Far to the north live a race of peaceful elves. Beset on all sides by ice, rock, and unpleasent yet mostly harmless Whats, the Whos are honest, hardworking folk who like nothing more than to be with their families for the holidays, and enjoy a nice juicy roast beast.

Who
Medium Humanoid (Elf)
+1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma: Whos are friendly and kind to all, with keen eyes, short but sensitive ears, and powerful yet adorable button noses.
Speed: 30 ft.
Who Wisdom(Ex): A Who may use his wisdom modifier in place of his charisma modifier for the purposes of Diplomacy, Bluff, and Intimidate.
*Bonus Skills: A What gains Perform (Sing) as a class feature permanently.
*Racial Skill/Save Bonus: +1 bonus to all Perform rolls.
Automatic Languages: Who, Elf.
Favored Class: Bard. A multiclass Who's Bard class does not count when determining whether he/she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level Adjustment: +0-Howzat?

Never, never, ever make any sort of racial ability modifiers odd. You're just asking for trouble.

fangthane
2006-12-11, 02:53 PM
I guess I'm in the minority given that I think Seuss was a talentless hack... I never liked the artwork and thought the Whos were ugly little things, but assuming you want to keep ability score bonus for Wis and Cha, make those both +2 and apply a -2 Dex and a -2 int, or a simple -2 str to them unless you want to make their LA a +1. Always give a +/- 2 and remember useful bonuses should be properly countered in order to retain a 0 LA. Otherwise, the Whos are going to field a lot more paladins than they should.

Khantalas
2006-12-11, 02:59 PM
Never, never, ever make any sort of racial ability modifiers odd. You're just asking for trouble.

Unless you're working for Wizards and are working for a web enhancement about customized half-fiends, then you can easily give two +5's without asaking for trouble. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060630x&page=2)

ChaosStorm
2006-12-11, 03:09 PM
The Racial ability modifiers on both of them bother me, as well. The Who's weren't very wise, if you ask me. If you want to give me a bonus to Listen and Spot then give it to them as skills rather than a bonus to Wisdom. I vote for a +2 Charisma -2 Wisdom on the Who's.

And the while I think your choice of racial ability modifiers for the Whats is right, I'm not sure about the number. A +2 to Strength is offset by the -2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom. The +2 Intelligence is offset by a -2 to either Wisdom or Charisma, isn't it? I didn't think a bonus to Intelligence warranted such a high negative to balance. What I'm seeing is an extra -2 that needs to be removed. I think it should be a -4 Charisma, -2 Wisdom.

Kiroho
2006-12-11, 03:27 PM
Hmmmm . . . .I wonder where the Grinch got the puppy familiar from with no spellcaster classes then. :smallconfused:

fangthane
2006-12-11, 03:39 PM
The Racial ability modifiers on both of them bother me, as well. The Who's weren't very wise, if you ask me. If you want to give me a bonus to Listen and Spot then give it to them as skills rather than a bonus to Wisdom. I vote for a +2 Charisma -2 Wisdom on the Who's.

And the while I think your choice of racial ability modifiers for the Whats is right, I'm not sure about the number. A +2 to Strength is offset by the -2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom. The +2 Intelligence is offset by a -2 to either Wisdom or Charisma, isn't it? I didn't think a bonus to Intelligence warranted such a high negative to balance. What I'm seeing is an extra -2 that needs to be removed. I think it should be a -4 Charisma, -2 Wisdom.
Remember though, the Whats are also getting skill bonuses, a natural attack, a climb speed, and bonuses to saves and crafting. Some of that can be stuck in a +0 LA, but the -2 seems appropriate as an additional balance against those capabilities. I'd actually tend to giving the Whos a +2 con, +2 cha and -2 to strength and wisdom (cold climate con bonus, everybody-but-me-likes-them cha bonus, but they're weak and foolish.)

Yuki Akuma
2006-12-11, 03:41 PM
Hmmmm . . . .I wonder where the Grinch got the puppy familiar from with no spellcaster classes then. :smallconfused:

His Handle Animal skill.

Fireball.Man.Guy.
2006-12-11, 07:05 PM
With -4 CHA?

Fako
2006-12-11, 07:13 PM
His Handle Animal skill.


With -4 CHA?

Perhaps give them this:

Bully: Whats train their animals through harsh words and punishments. The What may use their Str modifier on Handle Animal skills in place of their Cha modifier.

Triaxx
2006-12-11, 07:14 PM
Charm Animal because he's a Ranger.

Yuki Akuma
2006-12-11, 07:34 PM
He obviously has max ranks in Handle Animal.

Mewtarthio
2006-12-11, 08:42 PM
Max is his cohort. The Grinch has abysmal Charisma but he took Leadership anyway. The Grinch's Leadership score is actually too low for him to attract a cohort (Max's alignment is different), but the DM took pity on him and let him take a pet dog as a cohort.

Jarl
2006-12-11, 10:14 PM
fix`d. Messed with the modifiers, took away the cha/wis mod switch and gave 'em scent.

-I always thought of Max as a cohort too. Perhaps the Grinch's got a homebrew feat that switches out his charisma for his intelligence when it comes to Leadership (or Handle Animal, or whatever). He's obviously a very smart fellow.