Modeling the Avernum Races

[kpenguin]

How would you model the races of the Avernum/Exile series (Slithzerikai, Nephilm, Vahnatai, etc.) into D&D stats?

Sliths should have Strength and Constitution bonuses, racial bonuses of Craft, bonuses on saves vs. fire, and maybe automatic proficiency with some polearms.

Nephilm should have bonuses in Dexterity, but maybe penalties in Intelligence, automatic proficiencies with bows.

Vahnhatai should have bonuses in mental ability scores and perhaps be psionic?

[Cogwheel]

Woah, someone else here plays Avernum too? Awesome!

Also, the simplest, if somewhat inaccurate conversion is thus -

Sliths = lizardfolk
Nephilim = catfolk
Vahnatai = Elans

[Dragonmuncher]

Oh man, I haven't played that in years.

[Nebo_]

!!

I'm actually playing in an Exile game at the moment. It is probably the best campaign I've ever played in. My DM statted all of the races for D&D and with his permission I'll post them here.

[kpenguin]

Woah, someone else here plays Avernum too? Awesome!

Also, the simplest, if somewhat inaccurate conversion is thus -

Sliths = lizardfolk
Nephilim = catfolk
Vahnatai = Elans

Too inaccurate. I was hoping the Homebrew Boards would give me something better...

Avernum/Exile monsters would be cool too. I'd love to my PCs stumble upon a colony of GIFTS.

[Belteshazzar]

Dang I remember that game. I was around fifteen when I played though the Demos of Exile and later Avernum. I later got blades of Exile and played that all the way to the beginning of the last Campaign. If only I hadn't lost the disk. I was even considering buying the whole trilogy recently after rediscovering it. If you plan to stat up all the races don't forget the GIFTS. Every one needs some arachnophilia.

P.S. Funny to think but playing that game caused me to later recognize and read the Girl Genius webcomic because I recognized Phil Phoglio's distinctive art style.

[kpenguin]

Arachnophila? I know that they're giant intelligent friendly talking spiders, but I didn't think there were giant intelligent really friendly *wink* *wink* talking spiders among them. :smalltongue:

[Pronounceable]

There was a GIFT in Exile 2 who had lost its mate to the aranea. It was looking for a new mate, and was very friendly *nudge nudge*.


For races I propose:

Slith: +2 str, half damage from fire, double damage from cold, +2 natural armor, darkvision, +2 craft (metalworking) checks, auto proficiency on all polearms (probably slith spear is exotic), cold blooded. LA+2 (?)

Nephil: +2 dex, auto proficiency on all bows, can take fighter only feats for bows, darkvision. LA+1 (?)

Vahnatai: -2 str, +2 dex, +2 int, speed 40 ft, proficient with razordisks and waveblades (both exotic weapons), darkvision, SR something, some magic abilities and bonuses that are incompatible with DnD magic, light sensitivity. LA +3 (?)

[YuanTi]

I ran an Exile game just after Exile 3 was released.

I wouldn't make the Vahnatai playable. That way you can give them some powerful psionic abilities which makes them +2 or +3. (So Playable, but not usually on offer, or a great choice.)

The GIFTS are fun, but make better choices as just npcs. They never seemed very capable at fighting. (In Exile 2 I completely wiped them out with a level 3-5 party.)

I can't remember exactly what I did, but here are basics.

Sliths - +2 Con, -2 Dex. Auto Proficient with Polearms. Slow.
Nephils - +2 Dex, -2 Int. Auto Proficient with Bows.

Vahnatai - +2 Int, +2 Wis, Some psionic powers, but I forget what.

Erika and that Bok dude, would make for some nasty Epic Level NPCs.

Most monsters fit in with existing monsters though.

[The Glyphstone]

:smallbiggrin: Spiderweb Software FTW!:smallbiggrin: :smallbiggrin:

I remember Exile...and Avernum, though I liked Exile better.

Sliths would have a 20ft. move speed base, to mimic their fewer action points available - the stat bonuses suggested above look good though. Vahnatai, probably racial HD and some LA, and let their racial HD count as psion or psychic warrior levels...

[Assasinater]

Huh, the way I remember sliths weren't any slower than humans. Now that I think of it, the slith in the default starting group had the 'sluggish' trait, you could be remembering from that.

What I recall is that sliths get a bonus to strength and intelligence (in exile 3 anyway). Strength in exile equaled strength and constitution in d&d, so they can get +2 str, +2 con, +2 int, and proficiency with polearms. I still can't remember anything else about any slowness.

[YuanTi]

No sliths were naturally slower.

I removed sluggish from him, and he was still slower.

(This was done 8 minutes ago to check.)

[kpenguin]

Note that I want to have the Sliths and Nephils playable, so at most +1 LA. Vahnhatai you can give some pretty powerful stuff though.

[Nebo_]

In the Exile game I'm in the races are all fairly powerful LA +0, with the exception of the Vahnatai, which was a really really powerful +0, but the downsides cancel that out. We have a forum we use for the campaign; the new rules and stuff are here (http://elysium.invisionplus.net/index.php?mforum=elysium&showforum=25) if you want to take a look.