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View Full Version : No, not drow... [Race]



Cryopyre
2007-07-14, 03:41 PM
Trow
Orc Sub-race

Before you stands erect an orc-like creature, the body is leaner, and his face is much less porcine. Where the regular pig-nose of an orc would be, the nose is slanted down, and the entire face lies between an orc and a half-orc. Its skin is of a lighter shade of green, the ears are pointed, and its eyes twinkle with an intelligence unknown to orc kind.

The following traits replace the Orcs traits in the Monster Manual

+2 Dex, -2 Cha: The Trow is lean and agile, but still bears the ugly resemblance of its kin
Medium
Low-Light vision: A Trow lacks the darkvision of its cousin, but still can see twice as far as a Human in low illumination
+2 attack bonus against trolls: Trolls are a Trow's worst enemies, they constantly fight over land
+2 to survival checks: A Trow is taught how to live off the land and hunt in their environments
Favored Class: Ranger. A multiclass Trow's ranger class doesn't count when determining experience point penalty for multiclassing. The Trow culture encourages the life of a ranger, which is suited with their agility and love of the wilderness.
Bonus Feat: Track. Trow are very good at tracking down prey, and will stop at nothing for a meal, or revenge.


The Trow are an above-ground dwelling orc, that many believe have had mixing of Elf blood in their system. For this reason, the common Orc and the Elf shun them, and like to forget of their possible mixing. Although many believe in this mix of blood, no solid proof is available for it, however, the idea cannot be so readily dismissed.

The culture of the Trow is different from the average Orc tribe. A trow community is a group of wandering nomads, led by the eldest ranger's and druid's amongst them. The Trow have less of a might makes right system that the Orc's have. Although the Trow are often still evil, many tribes are neutral, and some, rumour has it, even good.

As a child, a Trow is trained in the art of hunting, and young boys must complete a right of passage by showing the tribe his abilities to survive in the wilderness.




Okay, I may add a whole Player's Handbook entry for the Trow, but I want to stop here to gather any opinions on it, and see if I need balance, as I know the ability modifiers are off.

jindra34
2007-07-14, 03:43 PM
looks good but will need a LA

Cryopyre
2007-07-14, 03:44 PM
That's the problem, I don't want a level adjustment for them, so if anyone has ideas to negate it, I'm all ears.

Tengu
2007-07-14, 03:53 PM
They look balanced for a 0 LA race.

Rob Knotts
2007-07-14, 03:57 PM
Drop the +2 Dex (and keep the -2 Cha). You are allowed to call them lean and agile without throwing a number behind it; the idea that Trow are leaner than orcs could just as well explain why they lack a STR bonus, they don't have the additional mass. They already have several other benefits that are appealing, especially as a Ranger, not to mention doing a nice job reflecting the idea of a surface-adapted orcs.

DracoDei
2007-07-14, 04:10 PM
Well at a very rough guess I would say LA is probably +0 although I could also see +1... almost certainly not more than that... Trolls is a fairly specific racial enemy (compared to Goblinoids or Giants, both of which Dwarves get bonuses against). I THINK Dexterity is less highly valued than strength so only having a minus to one stat might work out within LA +0... really, of the basic PC races, they compare much closer to elves than to half-orcs. There total adjustments to skill checks are lower than an elfs and survival comes up much less frequently than spot and listen. The only things arguing for +1 LA is the particular stat adjustments and the fact that their racial mods make them extremely effective rangers. If they take giants as their favored enemy that would stack against trolls, Dex is a rangers friend, and they get a bonus to a de-rigur skill (which maybe means they can get away without maxing it out at every level that most rangers would).

Khantalas
2007-07-14, 04:38 PM
If dwarves are an LA +0 race (and they are), these are certainly LA +0, possibly less. Their ability scores balance almost as well as the dwarf and their other bonuses are low-light vision (which is about as useful as darkvision in certain situations, less in others), a bonus to attack rolls against a specific type of enemy and a +2 bonus to a skill under certain conditions. Dwarves get abilities about as good as them and bonuses versus poison and magic, a dodge bonus against giants and other stuff nobody cares about.

But again, I was never good at balancing stuff and nobody claimed dwarves were very balanced (I'd like to see a PP distribution of the races somebody mentioned they had one day).

Cryopyre
2007-07-14, 05:29 PM
Then LA of +0, I'll keep it as is.

Draz74
2007-07-14, 05:39 PM
Yeah, this looks about as powerful as an elf or halfling - weaker than a human or dwarf. No LA needed.

WarCraft inspiration?

Cryopyre
2007-07-14, 05:40 PM
There are Trow in WarCraft?

sigurd
2007-07-14, 07:11 PM
I'd give em back darkvision and still make them a 0LA.

Gypsy Orcs. I'll yoink 'em, if I may. Make them a combination of Caravan Halflings and Orcs. Explains the reduced stature and gives them a societal structure to work with - the gypsy halfling.

Some halflings are practical enough to keep orc children for muscle. Some children, even of other races, find love among the gypsies.


I like it a lot.


Sigurd


Thanks Cryopyre

Cryopyre
2007-07-15, 01:06 AM
You're welcome.

Closet_Skeleton
2007-07-15, 01:56 AM
There are Trow in WarCraft?

No. Warcraft only has elf and dwarf subraces as far as I know.

Cryopyre
2007-07-15, 09:53 PM
maybe he's thinking of the trog.

Quietus
2007-07-16, 12:16 AM
Seems balanced to me - I'm guessing they'd be Humanoid (orc), or at least gain the orc-blooded trait?

Cryopyre
2007-07-16, 02:13 AM
yeah, they're a subrace

Callix
2007-07-16, 02:26 AM
This is underpowered. Seriously. Dwarf comparison:
Abilities: dex=con therefore balanced (see elf, dragonborn)
Speed: Small benefit, same in med+ armor
Vision: Low-light. Slightly less useful than darkvision
Racial enemies: Dwarves get +1 attack (goblinoids) AND +4 AC (giants). Trows get +1 attack vs. a specific subset of giants that regenerate all weapon damage. Advantage: Dwarf.
Skill Bonuses: Dwarves get +2 Craft and Appraise re stone and metal, and stonecunning (whole bunch of situational benefits). Trows get +2 to Survival in a specific climate. Game Dwarf.
Save bonuses: +2 vs magic, +2 vs poison... against nothing. Game, Set and Match Dwarf.

So the dwarf is a much better race. Thus, the trow needs to lose the restrictions on its racial bonuses. Make it +2 to all Survival checks, +1 ta attacks vs. giants, and maybe Track as a bonus feat, which can be replaced with a Fighter bonus feat for rangers. This might just put you on a level footing with core races. More powerful than the half-orc. But the half-orc has been royally screwed. +2 strength fully paid for (-2 int, -2 cha) is not worth no racial bonuses.