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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next New race: Gem (from Steven Universe) PEACH



Ninja_Prawn
2015-10-26, 09:08 AM
Anyone else a fan of Steven Universe? It occurred to me yesterday that the gems would make a great PC race, so I thought I'd put something together for 5e based on what we currently know/suspect of SU lore. Here goes!

Gem
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age. Gems do not age. They emerge from the ground fully-formed, and often live for thousands of years.
Alignment. Gems exhibit a variety of alignments. Those who have spent time on Earth tend to value freedom more than others of their kind.
Speed. Your base movement speed is 30 feet.
Alien Biology. You have a limited ability to shapeshift. As an action, you can change your appearance as per the Change Appearance option of the Alter Self spell. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again until you complete a long rest. In addition, you do not require food and drink for sustenance.
Gem Weapons. All gems possess a personal extradimensional space from which they can summon weaponry at a moment's notice. Choose one type of two-handed weapon, two types of one-handed weapon or one type of one-handed weapon and a shield. As a free object interaction, you can retrieve a copy of these weapons from the extradimensional space.
If you move more than 60 feet away from a gem weapon, it ceases to exist. Alternately, you can dispel any number of your own gem weapons as a bonus action.
Poof! If you are reduced to 0 hit points, you do not fall unconscious. Instead, your body disappears and your consciousness retreats inside your gem, from where you are unable to perceive the outside world or affect it in any way. While inside your gem, you have advantage on death saves and cannot be targetted by any ability, including hostile attacks and friendly healing. Additionally, if you are stable, you may reconstitute your body on your next turn, with 1 hit point. For every hour you remain in your gem, you recover a number of hit points equal to a quarter of your maximum hit points (rounded down).
Subrace. There are many distinct types of gem. Choose one of the following subtypes:


Quartz
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Size. Your size is medium.
Savage Attacks. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Corundum
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Size. Your size is small.
Elemental Affinity. You are unaffected by extremes of temperature, and can hold your breath indefinitely.

Pearl
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Size. Your size is medium.
Tailor-Made Servants. You gain proficiency with any two tools, languages or musical instruments of your choice.

Peridot
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Size. Your size is small.
Technician. As an action, you can identify the purpose or function of any machine, mundane or magical. In addition, you may apply your proficiency bonus to any ability check made to operate, pilot or control such a machine.


So, any thoughts? Is the wording of the abilities clear enough? Would you want to play with this race?

Future plans: advanced shapeshifting racial feat, stat block for flask robonoid familiar, diamond subrace (once there is enough detail in the canon to define them) half-gem hybrid race, rules for fusion?!

Logosloki
2015-10-27, 08:36 AM
This is a very level-headed race design from what I can see and would allow a player to use it as a race for a campaign where a clod would make sense. The only sub-race I feel is a bit out thematically is Quartz but that is because all the quartz gems are extremely varied (Steven, Amethyst, Jasper and Rose all have very different abilities, though I can see why you chose strength as the theme). Any chance of Lazurite making it on the list?

Ninja_Prawn
2015-10-27, 09:01 AM
This is a very level-headed race design from what I can see and would allow a player to use it as a race for a campaign where a clod would make sense. The only sub-race I feel is a bit out thematically is Quartz but that is because all the quartz gems are extremely varied (Steven, Amethyst, Jasper and Rose all have very different abilities, though I can see why you chose strength as the theme). Any chance of Lazurite making it on the list?

Re: quartz uniqueness, Steven is a hybrid and I intend to do a separate homebrew for half-gems. Amethyst is an "overcooked runt" and therefore not typical of the subrace. And I don't believe Rose Quartz is actually a quartz at all (though obviously that's headcanon for the moment).

I thought about doing one based on Lapis, but we don't really know a lot about her. Are her powers typical, or an outlier? Are there lots more like her? What is her place in society? If the show answers those kinds of questions, I would consider adding her 'species' to this homebrew.

Flashy
2015-10-27, 04:26 PM
I really love the construction of this race and would have commented sooner if I were more familiar with the source material. I'm particularly fond of Poof! though I'm a little unclear on how it actually works. Does a Gem who poofs drop to the ground or is the gem to which your consciousness retreats some kind of extra-planar space?

On the Musicus scale I'd rate this...
Ability Score Increase: +2/+1 = +3 overall
Alien Biology: Pretty much just an anemic version of Innate Magic? I'm going to call it +0.5
Gem Weapons: This is a hard one, but since it's pretty similar to a low level class feature (Weapon Bond) my instinct is +1. Totally open to debate though.
Poof!: In some ways this is worse than Relentless Endurance, in some ways better. Going to value it the same at +1.
Subrace Feature: The Pearl feature is +1, the others are probably all +0.5
Total: 6.0-6.5, well within the realms of balance.

Literally my only criticism is that I don't love Savage Attacks on the Quartz subrace. There may be some thematic reason they have a combat boost in a slot where the others all get a roleplay/exploration feature but personally I'd really like to see them switched to a trait more closely matched to the other subraces.

Ninja_Prawn
2015-10-27, 05:21 PM
I really love the construction of this race and would have commented sooner if I were more familiar with the source material. I'm particularly fond of Poof! though I'm a little unclear on how it actually works. Does a Gem who poofs drop to the ground or is the gem to which your consciousness retreats some kind of extra-planar space?

On the Musicus scale I'd rate this...
Ability Score Increase: +2/+1 = +3 overall
Alien Biology: Pretty much just an anemic version of Innate Magic? I'm going to call it +0.5
Gem Weapons: This is a hard one, but since it's pretty similar to a low level class feature (Weapon Bond) my instinct is +1. Totally open to debate though.
Poof!: In some ways this is worse than Relentless Endurance, in some ways better. Going to value it the same at +1.
Subrace Feature: The Pearl feature is +1, the others are probably all +0.5
Total: 6.0-6.5, well within the realms of balance.

Literally my only criticism is that I don't love Savage Attacks on the Quartz subrace. There may be some thematic reason they have a combat boost in a slot where the others all get a roleplay/exploration feature but personally I'd really like to see them switched to a trait more closely matched to the other subraces.

Thanks for the comments!

I agree with your ratings for the features, though I have long felt that Musicus over-values tool/language proficiencies. I think they're more like 0.25 each, and I designed accordingly.

SU lore you may be missing:
Gems' bodies are made of something like 'hard light'. When they take too much damage, the body disappears in a puff of smoke. When a gem poofs, the physical gem drops to the ground. The gems can be damaged and destroyed, but it takes an incredible amount of force. In my head, what happens to Amethyst in An Indirect Kiss is her progressively failing death saves.

http://38.media.tumblr.com/84315ef50cacd6c766785fa564d00f94/tumblr_inline_nnn9uy4JAQ1r1w9dg_540.gif
The gem homeworld operates a caste system, wherein quartzes are warriors, as illustrated here (http://gifsandfusings.tumblr.com/post/131488813643).

Ninja_Prawn
2015-10-28, 02:57 AM
Okay then, onto the next thing: racial feat!

Advanced Shapeshifting
Prerequisite: Gem race.

You can now use your Alien Biology feature at will. In addition, you can perform more radical transformations. Once per long rest, you can use an action to take the form of any medium or smaller object or creature, retaining all of your game statistics and abilities. You may design your own form, such as "person with a crocodile head".
You may gain additional abilities from your new form, such as flying or swimming speeds (up to your movement speed), natural weapons (up to 1d6) or water breathing. Note that you cannot change any of your sensory abilities using this feat, nor can you replicate any learned or magical ability that another creature might have. Your shapeshifted form must have a corporeal body.
The transformation lasts for up to an hour, and you can end it early as a bonus action.
Furthermore, you now count as a shapechanger.

Is that balanced? Is the intention clear?

Flashy
2015-10-28, 09:15 PM
Is that balanced? Is the intention clear?

I'm firmly convinced this is balanced, and the intention seems clear. However, I do think you should define the bounds of what new abilities you can gain from a form more clearly. Are the listed abilities intended merely as examples of the powers you could gain from the new form, or are those hard limits? To sort of push at the edges of the feat I've gone through a list of the medium and smaller creatures and compiled a bunch of corner case features that seem like physical properties of the form which I think the feat could potentially be used with.


My standard for including something on this list was a feature that seemed arguably based on the actual physiology of the creature. Stuff that's obviously just magic like innate spellcasting or magic resistance was not included. There are things here that I'm certain won't and shouldn't be allowed but seem like they might be permitted under a strict interpretation of the feat as worded.

Earth Glide: Burrow through unhewn stone and earth without disturbing it. (Xorn)
Treasure Sense: I wouldn't include this but the description specifically says that the treasure is located by smell. (Also Xorn)
Tremorsense: Blindsight but only if it touches the ground? Not actually sure. (Literally every Xorn feature is debatable for this feat)
Blindsight: Perceive things without having to see. (Bat, Violet Fungus)
Incorporeal Movement: Move through solid matter as though it were difficult terrain. (Will-o'-Wisp, Ghost)
Stench: Nearby enemies make saving throw vs. 1 round of poisoned. (Ghast)
Ethereal Sight: See 60' into ethereal plane. (Ghost)
Eye Rays: Various magical lasers. (Spectator)
Keen Hearing/Sight/Smell: Adv on related perception checks. (Soooo many things)
Breath Weapon: Various elemental breath weapons. (Dragon Wyrmlings)
[Specific Terrain] Camouflage: Adv on stealth checks in some listed terrain. (Grick, Octopus, Xorn)
Tentacles: A corner case of the natural weapons, tentacles don't necessarily do any bonus damage but usually also grant a free grapple. (Grell)
Touch Attacks: The magmin for example deals fire damage by touching things. Presumably remains 1d6 damage for the purposes of the feat, but is it now fire damage? Does it retain the magmin's additional damage every turn until extinguished? (Magmin)
Sting: Another natural weapon case, this time dealing more damage with a saving throw and often causing a condition. Can the shapeshifted form poison things? (Giant Wasp)
Two Headed: Adv on perception checks and saving throws against a whole bunch of conditions. (Death Dog)
False Appearance: While motionless is indistinguishable from some particular mundane object. (Scarecrow, Mephits, Animated Armor)
Amorphous: Can squeeze through an opening as small as 1 inch in diameter. (Shadow)
Advanced Telepathy: 60' telepathy. (Flumph)
Lightning Absorption: Healed by lightning damage. (Flesh Golem)
Adhesive: Anything touched by the creature is automatically grappled. (Mimic)
Extract Brain: Extract the brain of a grappled creature. Natural weapons are capped at 1d6 but is this really a natural weapon? (Mind Flayer)

Ninja_Prawn
2015-10-29, 01:59 AM
I'm firmly convinced this is balanced, and the intention seems clear. However, I do think you should define the bounds of what new abilities you can gain from a form more clearly. Are the listed abilities intended merely as examples of the powers you could gain from the new form, or are those hard limits? To sort of push at the edges of the feat I've gone through a list of the medium and smaller creatures and compiled a bunch of corner case features that seem like physical properties of the form which I think the feat could potentially be used with.

Thank you for the input! My general feeling is I want to stick with what's in the show's canon. That would mean a blanket ban on all features that might be called 'senses', and the gem can't produce any substance it couldn't normally (poison, magma, glue).

Earth Glide: fine.
Treasure Sense: this is a sense, so no.
Tremorsense: sense. No.
Blindsight: sense. No.
Incorporeal Movement: No, you can't shapeshift into something that doesn't have a shape. I'll have to make an explicit exception.
Stench: requires production of a substance. No. fine.
Ethereal Sight: sense. No.
Eye Rays: No, that's basically a magical ability.
Keen Hearing/Sight/Smell: sense. No.
Breath Weapon: requires production of a substance. No. fine.
[Specific Terrain] Camouflage: fine.
Tentacles: DM's call. I would allow this.
Touch Attacks: requires production of a substance. No. fine.
Sting: requires production of a substance. No. fine.
Two Headed: fine.
False Appearance: fine.
Amorphous: fine.
Advanced Telepathy: sense. No.
Lightning Absorption: another magical ability. No.
Adhesive: requires production of a substance. No. fine.
Extract Brain: I think that's a learned technique, so no.
Edit: what am I saying? Yes, of course gems can shapeshift Stench glands or poison sacs. Rose Quartz shapeshifted a functioning human womb!

Ninja_Prawn
2015-10-29, 04:37 AM
Onwards! Next up is the Flask Robonoid!

https://d2ykdu8745rm9t.cloudfront.net/cover/i/009/296/701/tumblr_inline_nlflh4JtgZ1tq3rr3_500-3724.png?rect=0,19,500,500&q=98&fm=jpg&fit=max

Flask Robonoid
Tiny construct, unaligned
Armour Class 12 (natural armour)
Hit Points 2 (1d4)
Speed 20 ft.


STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA


6 (-2)
10 (+0)
10 (+0)
2 (-4)
8 (-1)
8 (-1)


Damage Immunity Poison, Psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60ft. (blind beyond this range), passive Perception 9
Languages -
Challenge 0 (0 XP)

False Appearance. While the robonoid remains motionless (and with its legs retracted), it is indistinguishable from a large marble.

EMP Vulnerability. If the robonoid takes lightning damage, some of its systems are temporarily disabled. Its speed is reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn.

Actions
Healing Goo. The flask robonoid squirts goo at a target within 10 feet (unwilling targets may make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to avoid being hit). If the target is a creature, it regains 1d4 hit points and is covered in goo. The creature cannot benefit from any additional goo until it cleans itself (which requires a short or long rest).
If the target is an object, a single break or tear no larger than 1 foot in any dimension is instantly mended, leaving no trace of the former damage. The goo can repair a magic item, but it cannot restore magic to such an object. Multiple robonoids can combine their efforts to repair a larger break - up to one square foot per robonoid.

RavenJovan
2015-11-14, 08:16 PM
LOVE IT. Really I do, but question. Are you going to make additional subraces for other mineral and gem categories? For example I've been playing with the OC I've been trying to stat out, Kyanite (Al2SiO5), with my research in lore its a more psychic gem. Its a Nesosilicate mineral, not sure what that means.

Edit: So peridot (Mg, Fe)2SiO4 is a Silicate gem as is Kyanite so I assume they'd be the same size category or Kyanite would be bigger as it has more Oxygen, and I'm pretty sure aluminium is tougher than magnesium. It conducts electricity and reliant to heat (it even expands with it). It is fragile when it comes to using it in jewelry so its not a physical type of gem.

Ninja_Prawn
2015-11-15, 06:25 AM
LOVE IT. Really I do, but question. Are you going to make additional subraces for other mineral and gem categories? For example I've been playing with the OC I've been trying to stat out, Kyanite (Al2SiO5), with my research in lore its a more psychic gem. Its a Nesosilicate mineral, not sure what that means.

Edit: So peridot (Mg, Fe)2SiO4 is a Silicate gem as is Kyanite so I assume they'd be the same size category or Kyanite would be bigger as it has more Oxygen, and I'm pretty sure aluminium is tougher than magnesium. It conducts electricity and reliant to heat (it even expands with it). It is fragile when it comes to using it in jewelry so its not a physical type of gem.

My intention with this is to stick as closely as possible to the official canon. Therefore I won't be adding in gem types or abilities that have not appeared in the show.

If and when the diamonds make an appearance (or Rose is confirmed as Pink Diamond), I will add them as a playable option.

On the other hand, I might look into some of the other things from the show. Perhaps sneople as a monster or even PC race? Watermelon Stevens after the Super Watermelon Island episode airs?

ExxorD
2016-04-01, 07:33 AM
I got a rough idea for the Diamond sub-race. Though from what I could see from the actual show itself, it may be subject to change, which I'm okay with.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Size. Your size is Large.
Ruthless Leader. You gain proficiency in Persuasion and Intimidation, as well as two bonus languages of your choice aside from Common.

Roderick_BR
2016-04-01, 08:29 AM
I really love it! Too bad my group are not SU fans, or I'd use it.
I really can't add much more.

ExxorD
2016-04-01, 08:47 AM
I got a rough idea for the Diamond sub-race. Though from what I could see from the actual show itself, it may be subject to change, which I'm okay with.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Size. Your size is Large.
Ruthless Leader. You gain proficiency in Persuasion and Intimidation, as well as two bonus languages of your choice aside from Common.

Actually, the size ability needs one or two more things attached to it.

With your size as large, creatures smaller than you gain advantage to attack rolls. But you gain an additional hit dice. However, you cannot go higher than d12 in this instance.

JNAProductions
2016-04-01, 10:48 AM
Actually, the size ability needs one or two more things attached to it.

With your size as large, creatures smaller than you gain advantage to attack rolls. But you gain an additional hit dice. However, you cannot go higher than d12 in this instance.

That would be a significant break from the existing rules. I'd say a -1 or -2 Size Penalty to AC and +1 or +2 HP per level.

Ninja_Prawn
2016-04-01, 10:54 AM
Honestly, introducing a size category outside of small or medium is a nightmare. It took months for me to figure out tiny PCs, and I wouldn't be inclined* to bother with large ones just for a diamond subrace. Much easier to make them like goliaths, even if it's a departure from the show.

*Even if I was, I don't have time. This thread died for a reason.