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Neftren
2008-03-05, 08:52 AM
A sinister race of reptilian peoples resembling lizardfolk, these individuals are feared for their skill as battlemages and their mysterious method of casting. Standing at roughly five feet, these individuals weigh between 110 and 130 pounds. Often found in their magically protected bastions underwater, the Saphkir vigorously protect their shoals and reefs from trespassers. Many an Igmarin or Tilwari ship has been wrecked upon their reefs... their crews mysteriously vanished. They are often found in the employ of the Igmarin military as battle casters and extreme magical users.

• +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution
• Aquatic Adaptation: A Saphkir does not breathe oxygen, instead he processes it through pores in his skin, allowing him to survive in any environment without fear of suffocation. This does not allow him to survive in any location where there is no air, such as in void or a vacuum. A Saphkir may hold his "breath" just as any other creature can, and is not especially vulnerable to gas attacks or clouds of debris.
• A Saphkir has a swim speed of 40 feet.
• Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4)
• Spell Recognition: A Saphkir has been taught magic since the beginning of his life. He may auto-succeed on any spellcraft check to identify a spell when it is cast, so long as the DC is no greater than 15+the Saphkir's ECL. This in no way allows a Saphkir to automatically succeed on a spellcraft check to identify and copy a spell from a scroll or spellbook.
• Overchannel: A Saphkir realizes that desperation may sometimes be the key to a victory. When casting a spell, he can feed magical energy back through himself before unleashing it, only fueled and aided with his own life force. A Saphkir may choose to deal additional X damage to a target, provided he himself takes that much damage. This additional damage is applied before any attack rolls are made (if applicable). A Saphkir still loses hitpoints even if the spell misses it's target. Any spell cast that is modified by overchannel must deal direct damage as part of it's normal effect. A Saphkir may not reduce himself to below 1 hitpoint in this manner.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Sarkiri. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Abyssal, Infernal
• Favored Class: Antiphon Siphon. An Antiphon Siphon has gained the uncanny ability to create and cast spells directly into a spell rod, instead of memorizing from a spellbook. His rod is tethered to his soul and neither can live without the other. Fueled by the power of his soul, any spell cast by the Antiphon Siphon is immediately augmented, but at a cost to his mind. It takes many a year of training to become skilled in the ways of an Antiphon Siphon, and they are not to be taken lightly.*

Neftren
2008-03-05, 09:06 PM
Bump. Anyone? Comments?

Khanderas
2008-03-06, 02:42 AM
Since they oxygenise though the skin, do they even have lungs ? By extension, can they talk or are they using signlanguage or natural / magically manefactured telepathy underwater ?
If they dont have verbal components, do they resarch spells without it or is it covered mostly by the rod caster class mentioned ?
Since "breathing" is a full body thing, do they get special vulnerabilities to gas attacks (I mean, they can hardly hold their breath)?

Why do they protect their shoals from trespassers, xenophobia, cruelty or love of valuables (however having shipwrecks all over your front yard, while cool to have, attracts adventurers. Not good unless you are selling stuff to those murderous barbarians) ?

What are their swimspeed, and being adapted to water, are they perhaps physically weak on land (not built where you need to be built to support a body not supported by the "lift" of water) in effect a penalty to landspeed ?

What is their social structure ? Led by physically strong leaders, wise priests, intelligent casters or a group of elders ?


As for commentaries, the base idea is sound, but before I can say much about anything there are a "few" things I wanna know :smallsmile:

Hazkali
2008-03-06, 03:15 AM
• +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution
• Aquatic Adaptation: A Saphkir does not breathe oxygen, instead he processes it through pores in his skin, allowing him to survive in any environment without fear of suffocation.


I would change this- they aren't going to be able to process oxygen in a vacuum, for example.



• Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4)
• Spell Recognition: A Saphkir has been taught magic since the beginning of his life. He may auto-succeed on any spellcraft check so long as the DC is no greater than 15+the Saphkir's ECL.


Specify that it must be a spellcraft check to recognise spells only (and even then its a bit overpowered).



• Overchannel: A Saphkir realizes that desperation may sometimes be the key to a victory. He can feed magical energy back through himself before unleashing it, only fueled and aided with his own life force. A Saphkir may choose to deal additional X damage to a target, provided he himself takes that much damage. A Saphkir may not reduce himself to below 1 hitpoint in this manner.


This needs major correction, and limitations. What actions can he do this with? Spells? melee attacks? Whenever he feels like it? Does it increase the action time? Is it a Supernatural effect?

A good start, wish I could elaborate but I'm late for lectures. At the moment, however, utterly unusable.

Caracol
2008-03-06, 07:22 AM
I really like this one,would be very good as a Swampgas project (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72683) playable race. Can you consider the idea of contributing with this to the project?
Now, for my suggestions:
The overall flavor is really nice and original.
Acquatic Adaptation does not make to much sense to me. Everything that lives needs to breath oxygen, even fish. How about to change this to Amphibian: they are able to breath air (from skin pores) and to stay in water an indefinite admount of time, being able to process lower quantities of oxygen. Also,what about giving them a Swim speed?
Spell recognition works fine, maybe is too powerful (how about 10+ECL?)
Overchannel needs specifications, of course,but is defenately a good and flavourful race feature. I agree with the previous comments abou the modification to make.

Anyway, I like this race very much and I renew my invitation to making this a Swampgas feature.

Neftren
2008-03-06, 09:22 AM
Since they oxygenise though the skin, do they even have lungs ? By extension, can they talk or are they using signlanguage or natural / magically manefactured telepathy underwater ?
If they dont have verbal components, do they resarch spells without it or is it covered mostly by the rod caster class mentioned ?
Since "breathing" is a full body thing, do they get special vulnerabilities to gas attacks (I mean, they can hardly hold their breath)?

Ever heard of Gands from the Star Wars Expanded Universe? They breathe through their skin. Yes they can talk, and thus can use spells with verbal components. They can stop respiring like humans. They willingly breathe through their skin anyway, but you'll have to start making Con checks for holding breathe just like with swimming underwater.


Why do they protect their shoals from trespassers, xenophobia, cruelty or love of valuables (however having shipwrecks all over your front yard, while cool to have, attracts adventurers. Not good unless you are selling stuff to those murderous barbarians) ?

Most adventurers have learned to stay away from the shoals, but the idea is to present another place to adventure in. I can't really explain why some people are just more territorial than others, but it's basically they've become very territorial after seeing what the Igmarins have done to the Pirqag.


What are their swimspeed, and being adapted to water, are they perhaps physically weak on land (not built where you need to be built to support a body not supported by the "lift" of water) in effect a penalty to landspeed ?

I haven't written that yet, since I can't decide whether they're capable of living in the ocean. They're mostly restricted to surviving in the inland sea.


What is their social structure ? Led by physically strong leaders, wise priests, intelligent casters or a group of elders ?

That will be yet to be determined, when I write the rest of the fluff on this race.


As for commentaries, the base idea is sound, but before I can say much about anything there are a "few" things I wanna know :smallsmile:

Excellent.


I would change this- they aren't going to be able to process oxygen in a vacuum, for example.

Ooh, good idea.


Specify that it must be a spellcraft check to recognise spells only (and even then its a bit overpowered).

Knowing what a spell is doesn't really help you do anything. But these guys are basically extreme magic users.


This needs major correction, and limitations. What actions can he do this with? Spells? melee attacks? Whenever he feels like it? Does it increase the action time? Is it a Supernatural effect?

A good start, wish I could elaborate but I'm late for lectures. At the moment, however, utterly unusable.

It's basically for use of spells... speaking of which I have to edit that in. This was a very raw first draft of it.


I really like this one,would be very good as a Swampgas project (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72683) playable race. Can you consider the idea of contributing with this to the project?
Now, for my suggestions:
The overall flavor is really nice and original.
Acquatic Adaptation does not make to much sense to me. Everything that lives needs to breath oxygen, even fish. How about to change this to Amphibian: they are able to breath air (from skin pores) and to stay in water an indefinite admount of time, being able to process lower quantities of oxygen. Also,what about giving them a Swim speed?
Spell recognition works fine, maybe is too powerful (how about 10+ECL?)
Overchannel needs specifications, of course,but is defenately a good and flavourful race feature. I agree with the previous comments abou the modification to make.

Anyway, I like this race very much and I renew my invitation to making this a Swampgas feature.

This is for my own campaign setting. I can see it making cameo appearances in your project, but it is still primarily part of the Polaris Project. I have considered submitting some stuff to the Swampgas project too...

Thank you.

These guys breathe through their skin, but I'll rephrase the ability to be a bit more clear.

Well by 7th level, casters have 3rd level spells. So that's 3+10+6 at least for the spell level, so 10+ECL might fit. But then it's not autosucceeding. 15 means it's guaranteed, until epic level, or until you introduce items that boost Cha/Wis/Int.

Every one of my races has a unique ability, and overchannel just happens to be the ability for this one.

Hazkali
2008-03-06, 02:11 PM
Knowing what a spell is doesn't really help you do anything. But these guys are basically extreme magic users.


But the problem with automatically succeeding on any spellcraft check of DC 15+ECL or greater is that a Saphkir wizard will always be able to copy spells from any source, or prepare spells from a borrowed spellbook. In essence, they have no need to take any ranks in spellcraft, ever, which I would say is unbalanced.

Neftren
2008-03-06, 03:18 PM
But the problem with automatically succeeding on any spellcraft check of DC 15+ECL or greater is that a Saphkir wizard will always be able to copy spells from any source, or prepare spells from a borrowed spellbook. In essence, they have no need to take any ranks in spellcraft, ever, which I would say is unbalanced.

Perhaps I was unclear in my wording. This was specifically for identifying a spell when cast. It can't be applied to copying stuff from a spellbook... I should go fix that.

Neftren
2008-03-06, 04:45 PM
Okay, doing the final revision comments. Does anyone here believe that the crunch is still exceptionally strong, or is it now more balanced?

Hazkali
2008-03-06, 06:46 PM
I would specify that the spell used for Overchannel must deal direct damage as part of its normal effect. If not, a wizard could use Message (0th level, medium range, no saving throw or spell resistance) to deal as much damage as they care to lose.

Neftren
2008-03-06, 08:39 PM
I would specify that the spell used for Overchannel must deal direct damage as part of its normal effect. If not, a wizard could use Message (0th level, medium range, no saving throw or spell resistance) to deal as much damage as they care to lose.

Done. Anything else?

Vadin
2008-03-06, 08:50 PM
I like it. I really do. One question, though, that I'd really like an aswer to, because it sounds really cool, where can I find the Anitsiphon Siphon? The link directs to thread 1 (which has long been out of commission).

Neftren
2008-03-07, 01:12 PM
I like it. I really do. One question, though, that I'd really like an aswer to, because it sounds really cool, where can I find the Anitsiphon Siphon? The link directs to thread 1 (which has long been out of commission).

The Antiphon Siphon has not been written yet. If there are no other complains, this will be saved into my PM containing all the pertinent information that has been completed.