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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next The Nothic and the Magmin as PC races (PEACH)



DracoKnight
2015-06-30, 05:02 PM
These are two monsters in the Monster Manual that I could easily see being player races, and I was kind of disappointed when the Magmin wasn't in the Elemental Evil book. The Magmin is pretty much straight from the MM except for the Pyromaniac racial feature I gave them. The Nothic is a little more different from the entry in the MM, but I tried to stay close to its entry without making it severely OP.


Magmin

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Magmin are not native to the Material Plane, and age is a foreign concept to them, however, if left alone long enough, they have been observed to live for well over 300 years without suffering any ill effects from staying in the Material Plane.
Alignment. Magmin tend towards being lawful, as they are often summoned to do spell casters' bidding. However, they can just as often be chaotic, as they crave the chance to set anything on fire.
Size. Magmin stand between 3 and 4 feet tall. Your size is small.
Speed. Your base movement speed is 25 feet.
Born of Fire. You have resistance to fire damage.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Your ties to the Elemental Plane of Fire make your darkvision unusual: everything you see in darkness is in a shade of red.
Death Burst. If you die, you explode in a burst of fire and magma. Each creature within 10 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. Creatures within 10 feet of you take 2d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Flaming Touch. If your flames are ignited, you can make an attack roll. You may touch one creature to inflict 2d6 fire damage. Until the creature you touched takes an action to douse the flames it takes 3d6 fire damage at the end of each of its turns. You may use this ability once between long rests.
Ignited Illumination. As a bonus action, you can set yourself ablaze or extinguish your flames. While ablaze, the magmin sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
Pyromaniacs. You know the cantrips Produce Flame and Fire Bolt. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Constitution.
Languages. You can read, write, and speak Common and Ignan.

Magmin Bond: I was summoned to the Material Plane by a spellcaster who became my master until they died. I cannot return to the Elemental Plane of Fire until they release me; which their current state doesn't allow them to do.



Nothic

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma Score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. A Nothic can live for millennia. Many live long enough to become reveared as Arcane Oracles.
Alignment. Nothics are spell casters that delved too deep into the arcane secrets they researched, what they uncovered drove them insane. While not all of them are evil, most tend towards it. All Nothics are chaotic.
Size. Nothics stand between 4 and 5 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base movement speed is 30 feet.
All Seeing Eye. For one minute you can gain Truesight as an action. You may use this ability once per long rest.
Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill, and advantage on Perception checks that rely on sight.
Seekers of Magic. You are proficient in the Arcana skill, and have advantage on Arcana checks to determine the magical history of an item or location.
Rotting Gaze. As your action on your turn you may look at one creature, or as a reaction you may look at the creature that is attacking you. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your Charisma Modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save they take 2d6 Necrotic damage, or half as much on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. You may use this ability once between short or long rests.
Weird Insight. The nothic targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must contest its Charisma (Deception) check against the nothic's Wisdom (Insight) check. If the nothic wins, it magically learns one fact or secret about the target. The target automatically wins if it is immune to being charmed.
Languages. You can read, write, and speak Common and Undercommon.

DracoKnight
2015-06-30, 06:15 PM
Any thoughts?

eleazzaar
2015-06-30, 06:32 PM
I like the Magmin, but I think you really went overboard in giving him fiery attack spells. It has four of them in addition to the firey death explosion, and two of them are pretty powerful. Especially getting fireball is a big deal-- it is the premere damage spell of its level, and nobody else can get it without going through all the levels of a caster. It gets it a bit later than a caster might, but still...

DracoKnight
2015-06-30, 06:42 PM
I like the Magmin, but I think you really went overboard in giving him fiery attack spells. It has four of them in addition to the firey death explosion, and two of them are pretty powerful. Especially getting fireball is a big deal-- it is the premere damage spell of its level, and nobody else can get it without going through all the levels of a caster. It gets it a bit later than a caster might, but still...

Okay...hmmmmm... I didn't think that it would be too OP to give them Fireball at level 7. It fits with the pattern in the PHB. Racially you can get a spell at a level on which a caster would get the next level of spell. Other than the spells, most of the racial abilities I gave them are weaker versions of their stats in the MM. Does everything else look good?

Death Burst will only ever come up once...

And what are your thoughts on the Nothic?

DracoKnight
2015-07-01, 02:04 AM
Okay...hmmmmm... I didn't think that it would be too OP to give them Fireball at level 7. It fits with the pattern in the PHB. Racially you can get a spell at a level on which a caster would get the next level of spell. Other than the spells, most of the racial abilities I gave them are weaker versions of their stats in the MM. Does everything else look good?

Death Burst will only ever come up once...

And what are your thoughts on the Nothic?

I wanna clarify that I'm not saying you're wrong. I do honestly want to know if these are unbalanced. I just wanted to explain my logic in why I thought it wasn't. If it truly is unbalanced, I will change it. I honestly put it in for flavor more than anything; I just had this image in my head of a magmin jumping yoda-style around the battlefield hurling little fires, and then producing a massive fireball.

If it is too OP, I will change it. I put it in there because I thought it would be cool, and then found the pattern for racial spells and added it according to that so it wouldn't outpace anything. I'm not married to the magmin having Fireball. :)

PoeticDwarf
2015-07-01, 09:47 AM
The magmin is a little bit too strong. The nothic is nice but not really special.

DracoKnight
2015-07-01, 10:29 AM
The magmin is a little bit too strong. The nothic is nice but not really special.

I fixed the Magmin a little bit. I took away its spells and gave it another cantrip. What else should I do?

Ninja_Prawn
2015-07-01, 12:06 PM
What else should I do?

Looking at the Nothic specifically, I can see what EnderDwarf is getting at. You've got two skill proficiencies and three straight-damage spells - the Rotting Gaze ability is basically a spell, at the end of the day. That's kind of bland, especially for an ageless, deranged ex-wizard.

Personally, I'd cut the Eldritch Blast, Magic Missile and Perception skill and give them some limited form of Truesight (maybe 60', once/long rest for one minute) and the Weird Insight ability word-for-word (yeah, it's a headache for the DM, but I say it's their fault for allowing someone to play a Nothic). That's much more unique and exciting!

Also, I'm not sure about alignment restrictions for PCs in 5e. Yes, Nothics should be chaotic, but it'd be better to phrase it as a "strong tendency". PCs are one-in-a-million individuals, destined to be great heroes (or die trying), so it makes sense that they should be allowed to play unusual race/alignment combinations.

DracoKnight
2015-07-01, 12:41 PM
Looking at the Nothic specifically, I can see what EnderDwarf is getting at. You've got two skill proficiencies and three straight-damage spells - the Rotting Gaze ability is basically a spell, at the end of the day. That's kind of bland, especially for an ageless, deranged ex-wizard.

Personally, I'd cut the Eldritch Blast, Magic Missile and Perception skill and give them some limited form of Truesight (maybe 60', once/long rest for one minute) and the Weird Insight ability word-for-word (yeah, it's a headache for the DM, but I say it's their fault for allowing someone to play a Nothic). That's much more unique and exciting!

Also, I'm not sure about alignment restrictions for PCs in 5e. Yes, Nothics should be chaotic, but it'd be better to phrase it as a "strong tendency". PCs are one-in-a-million individuals, destined to be great heroes (or die trying), so it makes sense that they should be allowed to play unusual race/alignment combinations.

Is the Magmin okay as it is now? That's the one I'm more worried about.

I'll edit the Nothic's alignment restriction, I didn't realize I had worded it into a restriction rather than a suggestion.

I guess I could remove their spells, but I wanted to give them something to call to mind the fact that they used to be a wizard.

They have proficiency in perception in the MM, which is why I gave that to them.

I probably won't give them truesight. The only time I've ever given PCs truesight was as a class feature (my Jedi Knight Monastic Tradition home brew) and it was a 17th level feature that caused exhaustion.

I had considered weird insight, but it seemed very wonky for a PC race... :/

Ninja_Prawn
2015-07-01, 01:21 PM
Is the Magmin okay as it is now? That's the one I'm more worried about.



Looks ok, I guess. I never saw the original (Fireball as a racial ability?!), so... *shrug*

DracoKnight
2015-07-01, 01:44 PM
Looks ok, I guess. I never saw the original (Fireball as a racial ability?!), so... *shrug*

Okay :) Anything you'd change, nerf, or improve?

To them having Fireball, it was 1/long rest like all racial spells, and they didn't get it until level 7. Which follows the Racial Spell pattern :P But I mainly just had it there for flavor :P

DracoKnight
2015-07-01, 06:43 PM
I have edited the Nothic as per Ninja_Prawn's suggestions :D

DracoKnight
2015-07-02, 06:18 PM
I have edited the Nothic as per Ninja_Prawn's suggestions :D

bump. any other thoughts, anyone?

JNAProductions
2015-07-02, 06:29 PM
bump. any other thoughts, anyone?

Yes-you shouldn't be bumping your own thread.

As for the actual races... :P

Magmin
Stats: Fine.
Size/Speed: Also fine.
Born of Fire: A-okay.
Darkvision: I like that little detail. Is nice.
Death Burst: Hopefully will never come up. Is fine.
Flaming Touch: Maybe make that 2d6 instead of 3d6. Seems kinda powerful, but the Magmin otherwise doesn't have a lot going for it.
Ignited Illumination: Fine.
Pyromaniacs: Fine.
Final Verdict: Seems just fine. I might play one, but probably not.

Nothic
Stats: Fine.
Keen Senses: Advantage on sight-based perception might be a bit much. Proficiency is fine.
Seekers of Magic: Fine. The advantage here is not nearly as liable to come up.
Rotting Gaze: Seems fine to me.
Weird Insight: Ooh, I like it!
Final Verdict: I think it might actually be underpowered. It really doesn't have much going for it.

DracoKnight
2015-07-02, 07:12 PM
Yes-you shouldn't be bumping your own thread.

As for the actual races... :P

Magmin
Stats: Fine. EDIT: Okay.
Size/Speed: Also fine. EDIT: Alrighty.
Born of Fire: A-okay. EDIT: I didn't think that a resistance would be too OP, since other races get a resistance.
Darkvision: I like that little detail. Is nice. EDIT: It's literally a copy-paste from the Fire Genasi in the Elemental Evil splat book.
Death Burst: Hopefully will never come up. Is fine. EDIT: I hope it doesn't either.
Flaming Touch: Maybe make that 2d6 instead of 3d6. Seems kinda powerful, but the Magmin otherwise doesn't have a lot going for it. EDIT: Flaming Touch is decently strong, but it's one enemy per short rest.
Ignited Illumination: Fine. EDIT: it's basically a weaker version of Light, cast on yourself.
Pyromaniacs: Fine. EDIT: Alrighty.
Final Verdict: Seems just fine. I might play one, but probably not. EDIT: I guess that's how you know it's balanced: if someone might play it, but wouldn't choose it over everything else.

Nothic
Stats: Fine. EDIT: I didn't think there would be a problem there.
Keen Senses: Advantage on sight-based perception might be a bit much. Proficiency is fine. EDIT: I'll playtest it, but I don't think that it will be, because this race doesn't get too much else.
Seekers of Magic: Fine. The advantage here is not nearly as liable to come up. EDIT: Gotcha.
Rotting Gaze: Seems fine to me. EDIT: An ability that they have in the MM, rescaled to match the Dragonborn breath weapon.
Weird Insight: Ooh, I like it! EDIT: This would be my favorite thing about playing them. :)
Final Verdict: I think it might actually be underpowered. It really doesn't have much going for it. EDIT: What would you do to bring up the power?

Thank you for your feedback.

JNAProductions
2015-07-02, 07:14 PM
Well, Nothic's are pretty tough beings... Maybe add in the Hill Dwarf's +1 HP per level?

That, or as has been already suggested, Truesight X/Short or Long rest. That'd be a very handy ability to have.

DracoKnight
2015-07-02, 07:24 PM
Well, Nothic's are pretty tough beings... Maybe add in the Hill Dwarf's +1 HP per level?

That, or as has been already suggested, Truesight X/Short or Long rest. That'd be a very handy ability to have.

I have given them Truesight, I'll playtest it and get back to the forum :)

DracoKnight
2015-07-05, 11:58 AM
I have given them Truesight, I'll playtest it and get back to the forum :)

are there any other issues with these races?

Makoma_themonk
2015-10-08, 05:03 PM
First off interesting ideas. Secondly I think the magmin maybe be overpowered with the spells. What if the spells used his own fire and caused him necrotic damage to cast? And the Nothics weird insight should be once per long rest I think. Great job though.

DracoKnight
2015-10-09, 06:15 PM
First off interesting ideas. Secondly I think the magmin maybe be overpowered with the spells. What if the spells used his own fire and caused him necrotic damage to cast? And the Nothics weird insight should be once per long rest I think. Great job though.

Thanks for the feedback! :D I've playtested the magmin and it's not actually OP, since everything takes an action. I will consider the long rest for the Nothic feature, but so far I haven't run into any issues there.