[Race] The Half Minotaur

[AngelSword]

I've had this sitting around for quite some time, but it's late, and I'm bored. One of my players had this written up for him (since he's a petulant jackass and wouldn't play something normal), and it didn't prove too gamebreaking.

Half minotaur
Medium Humanoid

+4 STR, -2 INT, -2 CHA
Darkvision 60 ft
Base Land Speed: 30 ft.
Powerful Build – Whenever a half-minotaur is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the half minotaur is treated as one size larger, if doing so is advantageous to him. He is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as improved grab and swallow whole) can affect him. A half minotaur can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature his actual size The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.
Immune to Maze spells
Scent
Gore (1d4)
+2 Listen, Search, Spot
Automatic Languages: Common, Giant
Favored Class: Barbarian
Level Adjustment: +0

[Spiryt]

Well, firstly, there is a Minotaur bloodline. Granted, it's only minor but still.

Anyway, it's much too powerful for a + 0 LA.

[Triaxx]

If powerful build didn't add at least +1 LA, then Scent and being Immune to Maze certainly would. I'd think there's a case for +2 LA, though it'd be a narrow thing.

[Miraqariftsky]

Well, I usually just lurk hereabouts on the homebrews...

...but half-minotaur?!

Ya see, I'm somebody who prioritizes the story over the stats. I look on this thing and go, "That's even worse than what happens to half-orcs! Then again, it could be worse, what with the profusion of half-ogres, half-giants, half-fiends, half-dragons, et cetera ad infinitum ad nauseam..."

But on the matter of LA, I agree with the previous posters. This thing's too powerful for LA 0.

If ye want to balance it out a bit, whatsay downgrading the maze immunity to merely having an uncanny sense of direction that amounts to a +2 bonus against labyrinthine conditions?

Also, since it's a halfbreed, whatsay giving players, upon character creation, the choice to keep JUST two of Scent, Darkvision and Gore?

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Let's take a look at the Orc, shall we? And then at what this gets above and beyond the Orc.

ORC
+4 Str, -2 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Cha
Darkvision 60ft
30ft Movement
Daylight Sensitivity
LA +0

Half-Minotaur
Remove -2 Wis
Remove Daylight Sensitivity
Add Powerful Build
Add Gore Attack (1d4)
Add Scent
Add Immunity to Maze Spells
Add Skill Bonuses

So five things added, and two penalties removed...with the same LA. I'm with the above...it's a powerful +1 at the VERY LEAST. I'm leaning towards a +2 LA.

[Salvonus]

Well, the Orc is a pretty weak race as LA +0, isn't it? I dunno, I tend to avoid anything with an intelligence penalty. :smallconfused:

Anyway, I think the Half Minotaur would be good as LA +1, although perhaps a few changes would be appropriate. When you compare it to the Goliath or the Half-Giant, the two other races with Powerful Build, the Half Minotaur is a bit more powerful, but not enough (imho) to warrant LA +2. You kinda have to look at what a player would reasonably use (assuming no LA Buyoff), and there's no way I'd want to lose two levels for what this has to offer.

From a roleplaying standpoint, penalties to Charisma and Intelligence can be troublesome. But, honestly, those are Barbarian dump stats - there's only one good prestige class that makes a high charisma score worthwhile for a Barbarian, and I don't think there are any times when decent intelligence is anything more than a roleplaying aspect. You've basically created the perfect Barbarian race, even at LA +1.

To make it a reasonable, rather than outright powerful, LA +1, here are a couple ways you could reduce the power level a bit:
* Add -2 Dex and remove the Gore attack. Races with Powerful Build tend to suffer from Dexterity penalties, and it certainly makes some sense for a creature that's just a little too bulky for its size. It also provides something of a meaningful penalty for a Barbarian.
* Remove Scent. You didn't really write any fluff for this race, so I'm not sure exactly how monstrous it's supposed to be... But Scent is a pretty powerful ability, and one would think that Human heritage would reduce the effectiveness of a bestial ability. You could replace it with a +2 bonus to Survival, to represent a "reduced" Scent ability - in that way, you retain the connection with animal senses without being overpowered.

Well, just some ideas. Hope they help!

[AngelSword]

Truth be told, I didn't start from the core races and work up, but instead started at the minotaur and worked my way down. Like I said, it was written to appease a nudnik of a player who dropped off the face of the earth 2 months into the game, so I didn't get a chance to see all of the abilities in action.

I'll grant that Powerful Build is a bit much, but the immunity to Maze spells was something that I thought was so narrow that it wouldn't upset game balance (and having personally written up the race, there was no way I was going to throw a Maze at the party, knowing that). The scent and the gore abilities were mostly for the flavor of the minotaur (:smallyuk:).

I think the worst part of it all was the fact that the player had also chosen to be a paladin.

[Baron Corm]

Well, I usually just lurk hereabouts on the homebrews...

...but half-minotaur?!

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who was turned on by the title of this thread.

Anyway, I think you should take away immunity to maze, scent, powerful build, and the gore attack, and give it the natural ability to intuit direction (always know where north, south, east, and west are, or something like that). This would give a hefty bonus (+4? +10?) on Survival checks to keep from getting lost, and Intelligence checks on things like the maze spell. It leaves it with a bit less flavor but the core races are boring like that. The fact that it's only a half-minotaur means that it is smaller, has smaller horns, and a weaker sense of smell, which give no mechanical benefits, but can still be used to roleplay with.