Opinions on my player's custom race

[VertDeLion]

*Rubs temples* okay. So despite my clear instructions saying "I've given everyone a list of playable races from PHB, custom, and Genasi. nothing more." I still have that one player that's pushing for a custom race despite the fact that I've actually made TWO on his behest, and balanced them for the campaign I was creating. I would like to know what your opinions are on this race, if you would or wouldn't allow it in your own campaigns.

(Some kind of lizard man, keeping the name hidden.)
Ability score: +1 to con, +1 to str

Age: 500-1000 yrs

Alignment: Can be anything but generally lawful neutral

Size: Between 6-7 ft, 200-300 lbs, medium creature.

Speed: 30 ft land, 40 ft swim.

Languages: Draconic and Common.

Resistance to Poison: Adv on saving throws against Poison.

Resistance to Disease: Adv on saving throws against Disease.

Breathe Underwater: Can breathe underwater.

Water Vision: Can see underwater.

Natural Weapons: Can make an attack with your claws, teeth, or tail (only one of them), as a bonus action IF you hit your opponent with a melee attack for 1d6+Str.

Natural Armour: When unarmored your AC is 14+Dex.

[Naanomi]

First glance: why a better swimmer than a Water Gensai/Triton? Why a break from the +2/+1 model of most races (it isn't really a balancing factor, just encourages more min/maxing)?

Free bonus action attack shouldn't be more than 1d4+stats at most (like a battle-rager armor attack or quarterstaff off-blow), and may still be too powerful. Leave as 1d6+stats but takes an attack action like any other attack would be acceptable.

Natural armor seems too high as well, it shouldn't be beating Full Plate on a dexterity build (which tend to be stronger already anyways). Ac 12+Dex (like studded leather) seems OK, AC 13+Dex (like Mage Armor/Sorcerer class ability) maybe fine as well, but would still get a player to 'fullplate' level armor

[Nifft]

*Rubs temples* okay. So despite my clear instructions saying "I've given everyone a list of playable races from PHB, custom, and Genasi. nothing more." I still have that one player that's pushing for a custom race despite the fact that I've actually made TWO on his behest, and balanced them for the campaign I was creating.
Based on this alone, before looking at the racial stats -- I'd reject the homebrew.

In general I don't allow players to create their own homebrew for my games. People tend to be bad at limiting themselves to balanced design choices when you offer them unlimited power.

===

looks at racial stats

Yeah, what Naanomi said.

[Sigreid]

Lets see, I'm going to call it a Sleestak. :P

Age: Who cares?
Height/weight: Who Cares?
Swim Speed: Wouldn't allow above 30 to keep in line with existing races.
Advantage to Poison/Disease: Not that big of a deal to me
Water Vision: Since this doesn't show up on any of the other aquatic races, I think it's safe to say it's not a factor in the game.
Water Breating: Sure, why not. 2 races already do that.

A better option might be to just re-skin a triton as a lizard man or take the existing lizard man and let it breathe under water instead of holding it's breath. They'd be able to stay under water longer, but there are situations where hold your breath is a better option.

[Specter]

Make the unarmed strike 1d4, the AC 13 (like Lizardfolk) and you're good.

[Wolfkingleo]

(...)

Natural Armour: When unarmored your AC is 14+Dex.

Change this to AC being 12 + Dex and you are good to go, everything else is no news to us.

Cheers

[Mongobear]

Other than a few minor things and the wording there-of, this is almost a carbon copy of the new Lizardfolk from Volo's with different ability score boosts.

If you can get your hands on a copy, show it to him and see if he would play it. I think the only difference is the Ability Score bonuses, the Natural Armor AC formula and the Swim speed. Otherwise, this "custom" race is pretty much exactly Lizardfolk.

[Foxhound438]

trying to get free bonus action attacks and high unarmored AC? why would you give a person 2 free monk features? reject.

[bid]

Natural Weapons: Can make an attack with your claws, teeth, or tail (only one of them), as a bonus action IF you hit your opponent with a melee attack for 1d6+Str.

Natural Armour: When unarmored your AC is 14+Dex.
That AC is a big no no.

The bonus action is yet another. That's a free war magic for anyone with BB.


If he wants to refluff another race without changing the mechanics, that's ok. But assume anything more will have similar gems hidden and just flatly refuse them.

[VertDeLion]

Thank you for your input guys. I just really hate having to argue and say no to my friends. I rejected the concept in the end, especially since I already made a custom Scaleborn race months ago specifically for him to choose from.
His answer was to forgo the campaign entirely.

[djreynolds]

You can work this out.

AC 14 plus dex, a barbarian with an 18 in con gives a AC14. A barbarian with 18 dex and 18 con has an AC18

I would just look at something a druid uses for animal form or a lycanthrope. Perhaps he can attack with weapons or use a multiattack and grab those stats from the MM.

Just treat his race as a hybrid form.

So he could just start as a barbarian and gain unarmored defense from that. And when he gains an extra attack he can use a weapon and/or natural attacks.

[Sigreid]

Thank you for your input guys. I just really hate having to argue and say no to my friends. I rejected the concept in the end, especially since I already made a custom Scaleborn race months ago specifically for him to choose from.
His answer was to forgo the campaign entirely.

Sorry he won't be in your game, but I think it's for the best. It's better that he and the other players don't start thinking you can be blackmailed or bullied into giving them their way.

[Nifft]

Sorry he won't be in your game, but I think it's for the best. It's better that he and the other players don't start thinking you can be blackmailed or bullied into giving them their way.

Yeah, and it's a distressingly fine line.

Calling a player's bluff and having the player walk off is the right thing to do in some situations.

[mgshamster]

Thank you for your input guys. I just really hate having to argue and say no to my friends. I rejected the concept in the end, especially since I already made a custom Scaleborn race months ago specifically for him to choose from.
His answer was to forgo the campaign entirely.

You made the right call.

That's one of the lessons for being a DM is learning to say No.

[Naanomi]

Always funny how 99% of homebrew is 'I have this cool idea, its like *regular option* but a little more powerful because *reasons*'

[INDYSTAR188]

It's always disappointing when someone walks away from the game though. I'm having a hard time getting more than 3 players so losing one would be rough, maybe a campaign ender. I agree that OP did the right thing and was being pretty accommodating. I would think a reasonable person would want to work with their friend to find something that works so he could play.