Blueiji
2013-07-29, 05:25 PM
A little preface.
I'm a big fan of Gnolls. There's just something really appealing about vicious, depraved, horrifying hyena-men that want to eat you and your kin. :smallbiggrin:
However, I don't like level-adjustments. Or racial hit-dice. Not fun stuff.
So too fix that, I decided to make a 0 level adjustment version of the Gnoll. I'm not the most experience home-brewer, so any PEACHing or suggestions you could give me would be much appreciated.
With further ado, I give you . . .
The Lesser Gnoll
https://imgur.com/FnXxw6n.png
A lesser gnoll giggles viciously as it closes in on its prey.
Gnoll characters possess the following racial traits.
+2 Constitution, -2 Charisma. Lesser Gnolls have powerful muscles honed by years of inter-pack competition. However, they also suffer due to their unsettling appearance and lack of social grace.
Medium size.
A lesser gnoll's base land speed is 30 ft.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Humanoid type (Gnoll subtype).
Lesser Gnolls get a single bonus [Fighter] feat that they qualify for. The Lesser Gnolls vicious and competitive pack-society promotes the study of warfare in all its members.
Lesser Gnolls gain a +2 racial bonus on Survival and Listen checks, due to their hunter lifestyle.
Lesser Gnolls gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks, due to the unsettling nature of their vicious cackling.
Gnoll Blood: For all effects related to race, a Lesser Gnoll is considered a Gnoll.
Lesser Gnolls do not automatically know how to read and write. A Lesser Gnoll may spend 2 skill points to gain the ability to read and write all languages he is able to speak.
Lesser Gnolls automatically know Gnoll and Common.
A Lesser Gnoll's favored class is Ranger.
New Gnoll Feats!
Pack-Mentality. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll.
Benefit.
You have learned to fight as a pack and have become more adept at working together in both in and out of combat situations. When using the Aid Another ability you may add your wisdom modifier to the bonus you give to the character you aid.
You also gain a +1 to hit and damage when adjacent to an ally, even if that ally does not threaten the opponent you are attacking. You do not count as
your own ally for the purpose of this ability.
Normal.
When using the Aid Another action you confer only a +2 bonus to your ally.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Pack-Mentality as one if it would be beneficial.
Hunter's Instinct. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll.
Benefit.
You have trained your snout-like nose to more efficiently sense your prey. You gain the Scent ability with a 30 ft. radius.
In addition, you always treat Survival, Listen, and Spot as class skills.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Hunter's Instinct as one if it would be beneficial.
Ceaseless Cackle [Racial] - Written and contributed by the brilliant Temotei. Much thanks!
Prerequisite.
Gnoll.
Benefit.
When you laugh, it's almost impossible to stop you. As a swift action, you can start laughing, cackling like a hyena. Any foe within 30 feet that can hear you is sickened. A successful DC 10 + 1/2 Hit Dice + your Wisdom modifier Will save negates this condition. You continue to laugh for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your Constitution modifier and any foe who comes within 30 feet of you during this time is sickened unless it succeeds on its Will save. You can do this once per day. For every three Hit Dice you gain beyond the first, you can begin a ceaseless cackle once more per day.
Normal.
Your heinous giggle is creepy, but not nearly as potent in combat.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Ceaseless Cackle as one if it would be beneficial.
Gnoll Ferocity. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll.
Benefit.
Your natural ferocity grows in strength. You gain two natural claw attacks that do 1d6 slashing damage each, as well as a natural bite attack that deals 1d8 piercing damage. This damage increases or increases accordingly if the Gnoll's size changes.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Gnoll Ferocity as one if it would be beneficial.
Improved Gnoll Ferocity. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll. Character level 6th or higher. Must have the Gnoll Ferocity feat.
Benefit.
You become even more ferocious, learning to efficiently chase and maul your foes. Your land speed increases by 10 ft. You also gain the ability to Pounce, allowing you to make a full-attack at the end of a charge. However, if you Pounce then you may only attack with natural attacks during your full-attack.
Yes, I realize that the ability to Pounce is very powerful. But it's also a vital ability to have on any sort of martial character and I'm sick of seeing every single melee character dip a level of Spirit-totem Barbarian.
Normal.
You may not make a full-attack at the end of a charge.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Improved Gnoll Ferocity as one if it would be beneficial.
Peerless Gnoll Ferocity. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll. Character level 12th. Must have the Gnoll Ferocity and the Improved Gnoll Ferocity feats.
Benefit.
Your ferocity is virtually unparalleled. You have been known to latch onto your prey, viciously clawing at them until they fall. Your natural attacks from all [racial] feats increase in damage as if you were one size larger, you may also make rend attacks with your two hind claws if both foreclaws connect.
In addition, if an opponent takes damage from your rend effect it takes an additional 1 damage on each subsequent turn, from loss of blood. This effect continues until it receives medical attention or is subject to a [healing] effect. Creatures immune to blood loss are immune to this extra damage.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Peerless Gnoll Ferocity as one if it would be beneficial.
Primordial Ferocity. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll. Character level 18th or higher. Must have the Gnoll Ferocity, Improved Gnoll Ferocity, and Peerless Gnoll Ferocity feats.
Benefit.
Your utter savagery, brutality, and viciousness has caused you to regress towards an almost animal-like state. Your mind is so foreign to civilised folk that you gain the effects of the Mind Blank spell, rendering you immune to mind-affecting abilities.
You also gain the Wild Empathy ability as a Druid of your level, however you treat the key ability score of your wild empathy check as be wisdom rather than charisma.
Your darkvision range doubles, bringing it to a distance of 120 ft. If you have the scent ability it's area also doubles.
Finally, all your natural attacks increase in damage as if you were a size larger than you actually are.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Primordial Ferocity as one if it would be beneficial.
- - -
Conclusion.
I wish to note that the Lesser Gnoll is supposed to be a powerful race, at least on par with the likes of the Human, Whisper Gnome (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040807a&page=3), or Strongfoot halfling. So if this race seems overpowered compared to something like half-orcs or half-elves, that's not a problem.
Many thanks to Gnorman and his excellent Malamundas (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141597) project, from which I drew many of the abilites used for my gnoll feats.
I'm a big fan of Gnolls. There's just something really appealing about vicious, depraved, horrifying hyena-men that want to eat you and your kin. :smallbiggrin:
However, I don't like level-adjustments. Or racial hit-dice. Not fun stuff.
So too fix that, I decided to make a 0 level adjustment version of the Gnoll. I'm not the most experience home-brewer, so any PEACHing or suggestions you could give me would be much appreciated.
With further ado, I give you . . .
The Lesser Gnoll
https://imgur.com/FnXxw6n.png
A lesser gnoll giggles viciously as it closes in on its prey.
Gnoll characters possess the following racial traits.
+2 Constitution, -2 Charisma. Lesser Gnolls have powerful muscles honed by years of inter-pack competition. However, they also suffer due to their unsettling appearance and lack of social grace.
Medium size.
A lesser gnoll's base land speed is 30 ft.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Humanoid type (Gnoll subtype).
Lesser Gnolls get a single bonus [Fighter] feat that they qualify for. The Lesser Gnolls vicious and competitive pack-society promotes the study of warfare in all its members.
Lesser Gnolls gain a +2 racial bonus on Survival and Listen checks, due to their hunter lifestyle.
Lesser Gnolls gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks, due to the unsettling nature of their vicious cackling.
Gnoll Blood: For all effects related to race, a Lesser Gnoll is considered a Gnoll.
Lesser Gnolls do not automatically know how to read and write. A Lesser Gnoll may spend 2 skill points to gain the ability to read and write all languages he is able to speak.
Lesser Gnolls automatically know Gnoll and Common.
A Lesser Gnoll's favored class is Ranger.
New Gnoll Feats!
Pack-Mentality. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll.
Benefit.
You have learned to fight as a pack and have become more adept at working together in both in and out of combat situations. When using the Aid Another ability you may add your wisdom modifier to the bonus you give to the character you aid.
You also gain a +1 to hit and damage when adjacent to an ally, even if that ally does not threaten the opponent you are attacking. You do not count as
your own ally for the purpose of this ability.
Normal.
When using the Aid Another action you confer only a +2 bonus to your ally.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Pack-Mentality as one if it would be beneficial.
Hunter's Instinct. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll.
Benefit.
You have trained your snout-like nose to more efficiently sense your prey. You gain the Scent ability with a 30 ft. radius.
In addition, you always treat Survival, Listen, and Spot as class skills.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Hunter's Instinct as one if it would be beneficial.
Ceaseless Cackle [Racial] - Written and contributed by the brilliant Temotei. Much thanks!
Prerequisite.
Gnoll.
Benefit.
When you laugh, it's almost impossible to stop you. As a swift action, you can start laughing, cackling like a hyena. Any foe within 30 feet that can hear you is sickened. A successful DC 10 + 1/2 Hit Dice + your Wisdom modifier Will save negates this condition. You continue to laugh for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your Constitution modifier and any foe who comes within 30 feet of you during this time is sickened unless it succeeds on its Will save. You can do this once per day. For every three Hit Dice you gain beyond the first, you can begin a ceaseless cackle once more per day.
Normal.
Your heinous giggle is creepy, but not nearly as potent in combat.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Ceaseless Cackle as one if it would be beneficial.
Gnoll Ferocity. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll.
Benefit.
Your natural ferocity grows in strength. You gain two natural claw attacks that do 1d6 slashing damage each, as well as a natural bite attack that deals 1d8 piercing damage. This damage increases or increases accordingly if the Gnoll's size changes.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Gnoll Ferocity as one if it would be beneficial.
Improved Gnoll Ferocity. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll. Character level 6th or higher. Must have the Gnoll Ferocity feat.
Benefit.
You become even more ferocious, learning to efficiently chase and maul your foes. Your land speed increases by 10 ft. You also gain the ability to Pounce, allowing you to make a full-attack at the end of a charge. However, if you Pounce then you may only attack with natural attacks during your full-attack.
Yes, I realize that the ability to Pounce is very powerful. But it's also a vital ability to have on any sort of martial character and I'm sick of seeing every single melee character dip a level of Spirit-totem Barbarian.
Normal.
You may not make a full-attack at the end of a charge.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Improved Gnoll Ferocity as one if it would be beneficial.
Peerless Gnoll Ferocity. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll. Character level 12th. Must have the Gnoll Ferocity and the Improved Gnoll Ferocity feats.
Benefit.
Your ferocity is virtually unparalleled. You have been known to latch onto your prey, viciously clawing at them until they fall. Your natural attacks from all [racial] feats increase in damage as if you were one size larger, you may also make rend attacks with your two hind claws if both foreclaws connect.
In addition, if an opponent takes damage from your rend effect it takes an additional 1 damage on each subsequent turn, from loss of blood. This effect continues until it receives medical attention or is subject to a [healing] effect. Creatures immune to blood loss are immune to this extra damage.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Peerless Gnoll Ferocity as one if it would be beneficial.
Primordial Ferocity. [Racial]
Prerequisite.
Gnoll. Character level 18th or higher. Must have the Gnoll Ferocity, Improved Gnoll Ferocity, and Peerless Gnoll Ferocity feats.
Benefit.
Your utter savagery, brutality, and viciousness has caused you to regress towards an almost animal-like state. Your mind is so foreign to civilised folk that you gain the effects of the Mind Blank spell, rendering you immune to mind-affecting abilities.
You also gain the Wild Empathy ability as a Druid of your level, however you treat the key ability score of your wild empathy check as be wisdom rather than charisma.
Your darkvision range doubles, bringing it to a distance of 120 ft. If you have the scent ability it's area also doubles.
Finally, all your natural attacks increase in damage as if you were a size larger than you actually are.
Special.
Despite not being a [Fighter] feat, Gnolls may treat Primordial Ferocity as one if it would be beneficial.
- - -
Conclusion.
I wish to note that the Lesser Gnoll is supposed to be a powerful race, at least on par with the likes of the Human, Whisper Gnome (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040807a&page=3), or Strongfoot halfling. So if this race seems overpowered compared to something like half-orcs or half-elves, that's not a problem.
Many thanks to Gnorman and his excellent Malamundas (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141597) project, from which I drew many of the abilites used for my gnoll feats.