Vrel
2007-09-26, 01:35 PM
I had wanted to build a couple Custom Monsters for a campaign i am running (still kind of do, but i am BAD at home brewing monsters) but decided it would probably be easier in the long run to create a template and just apply Class levels to it. This is the result: The Maerla. The story behind the Maerla is that they build their society using Junk from other Races. They live in small communities so that they can easily sustain themselves, and work very, very well together.
The reason for the Particular bonuses i provided is that i have a REAL hard time hitting my party members. they all have ridiculously high AC, and the bonus to hit and damage really tips the scales in my favor a bit. Originally, i was going to have 3 Maerla monsters.. A spellcaster who could essentially create trash golems, a Barbarian-esque monster who could actually remove another creatures rage and use it to fuel their own, and a rogue type creature... Ultimately, all the monsters i wanted to create were at least in some sense like a class available, so i created this template. Maybe one of these days i will make my Monsters, or maybe i will ask for everyones assistance here... but for now, my Homebrew race.
As of right now, i am not sure if the Level Adjust is too low, or if it should even have a level adjust. My gut instinct tells me this is at least an LA 1...
Maerla
Medium Humanoid
Maerla possess the Following Racial Traits
• -2 Charisma, +2 Wisdom
• Medium Size
• A Maerla’s base land speed is 30 feet. However, they retain that speed even if passing over difficult terrain.
• Adaptive Learning: Maerla are skilled at working with what they have available. Instead of the normal -4 applied for using improvised weapons, Maerla suffer only a -2 penalty.
• +2 racial bonus on search checks while scavenging.
• +1 racial Bonus on Fort Saves
• Cooperation: Maerla receive a +1 Morale Bonus to attack and damage rolls (to a maximum of +5) for each other Maerla within 50 Ft.
• Human Aversion: Maerla suffer a -2 penalty to Diplomacy, intimidate, and bluff checks that target a human.
• Low Light Vision 30 ft
• Maerla always treat Search and Spot as class skills
• Automatic Languages: Maerl, Common.
• Favored Class: Any
• Level Adjust +1
Maerla live in small tribes of 6 – 12, living off of the materials provided by the land, and what they consider to be the most wasteful of races: humans. Maerla are commonly found within a few miles of Dumps, as it is fairly typical for the Maerla to salvage items that were thrown out for one reason or another and find a new use for them.
Maerla adults stand between 5’2” and 7’0” tall and have the same general appearance as a human. However, they have very distinct eyes and longer than usual arms. Maerla’s eyes are almost always completely black. Roughly 3 out of every 100 Maerla are born with Blue eyes instead. Those born with blue eyes become leaders of the “tribe” once they reach maturity (15 years of age). Maerla arms are also roughly 6 inches longer than Humans. In addition to those two traits, the only way to tell the difference between a Maerla and a human is it’s voice. A Maerla voice gives the impression of two people speaking at once. Their voice reverberates in their throat and produces a slightly echoed sound.
The Maerla tribes have a peaceful dislike of humans. They feel them to be wasteful and self centered. A Maerla will work with a human, but he won’t like it. Maerla tend to work in groups, so it is very rare to find one alone.
The reason for the Particular bonuses i provided is that i have a REAL hard time hitting my party members. they all have ridiculously high AC, and the bonus to hit and damage really tips the scales in my favor a bit. Originally, i was going to have 3 Maerla monsters.. A spellcaster who could essentially create trash golems, a Barbarian-esque monster who could actually remove another creatures rage and use it to fuel their own, and a rogue type creature... Ultimately, all the monsters i wanted to create were at least in some sense like a class available, so i created this template. Maybe one of these days i will make my Monsters, or maybe i will ask for everyones assistance here... but for now, my Homebrew race.
As of right now, i am not sure if the Level Adjust is too low, or if it should even have a level adjust. My gut instinct tells me this is at least an LA 1...
Maerla
Medium Humanoid
Maerla possess the Following Racial Traits
• -2 Charisma, +2 Wisdom
• Medium Size
• A Maerla’s base land speed is 30 feet. However, they retain that speed even if passing over difficult terrain.
• Adaptive Learning: Maerla are skilled at working with what they have available. Instead of the normal -4 applied for using improvised weapons, Maerla suffer only a -2 penalty.
• +2 racial bonus on search checks while scavenging.
• +1 racial Bonus on Fort Saves
• Cooperation: Maerla receive a +1 Morale Bonus to attack and damage rolls (to a maximum of +5) for each other Maerla within 50 Ft.
• Human Aversion: Maerla suffer a -2 penalty to Diplomacy, intimidate, and bluff checks that target a human.
• Low Light Vision 30 ft
• Maerla always treat Search and Spot as class skills
• Automatic Languages: Maerl, Common.
• Favored Class: Any
• Level Adjust +1
Maerla live in small tribes of 6 – 12, living off of the materials provided by the land, and what they consider to be the most wasteful of races: humans. Maerla are commonly found within a few miles of Dumps, as it is fairly typical for the Maerla to salvage items that were thrown out for one reason or another and find a new use for them.
Maerla adults stand between 5’2” and 7’0” tall and have the same general appearance as a human. However, they have very distinct eyes and longer than usual arms. Maerla’s eyes are almost always completely black. Roughly 3 out of every 100 Maerla are born with Blue eyes instead. Those born with blue eyes become leaders of the “tribe” once they reach maturity (15 years of age). Maerla arms are also roughly 6 inches longer than Humans. In addition to those two traits, the only way to tell the difference between a Maerla and a human is it’s voice. A Maerla voice gives the impression of two people speaking at once. Their voice reverberates in their throat and produces a slightly echoed sound.
The Maerla tribes have a peaceful dislike of humans. They feel them to be wasteful and self centered. A Maerla will work with a human, but he won’t like it. Maerla tend to work in groups, so it is very rare to find one alone.