Reaper_Monkey
2008-09-14, 01:46 PM
Hey, I've just finished stat-ing out this new race and I'd like some feedback on balance, I've not finished typing out the fluff for it yet, but if anyone's interested I'll post that up when I finish. The basic idea is that rattlings are a humanoid rat creature, which has been done many many times before, but I've never seen a build for it in dnd so I made one.
I've tried to make this a +0 LA race, it has +2 Str and +2 Wis more than it should do for balance, which is +1 LA, but small gives -1 LA, the rest shouldn't be powerful enough to constitute another LA gain on their own.
However I want to know if giving it a natural bite weapon (1d4 probably, maybe 1d6) would kick it over or not, in theory it shouldn't as it would quickly become obsolete, but I'm not sure when its coupled with the other bonuses this race has (mostly the speed)?
Here's the stats, thanks in advance for any feedback =)
EDIT: Changed stats so they are now balanced, added bite attack, clarified collapsing bones speed with the on all fours movement speed.
Are these new stats +0 LA now?
EDIT2: Heres all the fluff, I'm *very* tired now as I've just only finished writing it up, and I'm sure I've made a mistake somwhere, but I might as well dump this hear now so people can read it and fix any (probably glaring) mistakes later. Oh, I've changed the favoured class to scout as I feel its more befitting.
Ratling
In and under every large city, in the back alleys, sewers and slums, lives a race as loved as their ancestors, the ratlings. Ratlings are opportunists, who live alongside other races, in the shadows and the waste sides. Though they are viewed with contempt by most races, and often thought of as nothing more than big rats, ratlings are ingenious survivors and often provide an unseen backbone to most societies. They tend the waterways, and keep the wilderness at bay, and there is little going on that they don’t know about.
Personality: Ratlings share many of their traits with their rat cousins; they have a diehard approach to survival and are unequalled in their ingeniousness for getting around problems. They are incredibly curious and dynamic, and can readily adapt to new situations when they present themselves. Ratlings are mostly good humoured and playful, often enjoying a good joke on others or even themselves. They are also hardy, weathering conditions normally intolerable to others with a surprising carefree nature and will not upset the status quo unless there is a dire need to do so.
Ratlings have a deep sense of individualism; this is mostly brought about from living in societies numbering in the hundreds where each is often treated as an equal and considered family, due to this however, each ratling has their own unique way of doing things and is incredibly defiant of others enforcing their will upon them. Ratlings are loyal to one another, and will never betray another ratling of the same family, however it is possible that two families from different areas might fight for land and resources, but this is very rare and most often they just merge into a larger group.
Physical Description: Ratlings stand at around 2 - 2 ½ foot tall, and weigh 15 – 25 pounds, they prefer to stand erect but are comfortable in moving on all fours. They are covered in coarse fur, usually consistent in colour from any range of browns, blacks and grey while their chests and inner limbs are a slightly lighter shade. As ratlings ages, their fur tends to become longer and more shaggy in texture. They have rat-like heads, which stand forward of their body almost inline with their shoulders, and long thin human like hands. They have prehensile tails often three quarters the length of their height at least; theses are also covered completely in fur. Ratlings wear practical clothes, often hooded cloaks to hide their race while moving around populated areas. They also often wear trinkets, like animal charms, bones or coloured ribbons, which are tied to tails, wrists, belts or hung around the neck.
Relations: Ratlings get along well with other monstrous races, as they often have a common stigmatism for being different and uncultured; however they get along equally as well with any societies that accept them as an equal. In some cases ratlings have been known to provide intelligence networks in cities for the local defence, but they are also just as likely to be the backbone of underground thieves’ guilds depending on the reception the city inhabitance has for them. In most cases ratlings are viewed as a nuisance and disliked, even when they are being useful.
Alignment: Ratlings tend towards true neutrality, to them good and evil is something that happens for the other races, so much so they don’t even have words for them in their own tongue. Ratlings invariably will do whatever it takes to survive, including killing and stealing if needed, however they have a true altruism for others they deem as equal, like their family. Ratlings can be considered chaotic in their individualistic mannerisms and diverse adaptability, and if this is overly emphasised then it is not out of place to have a chaotic ratling. However this is normally countered by their allegiance to their family and their methodical practices, which keeps them neutral.
Ratling Lands: Ratlings tend not to have lands of their own, although they are perfectly capable of living without the reliance of others. However this tends not to happen often, as although ratling societies are very large they make a very low impact on the land they live in and are frequently encroached upon. Ratlings tend to live along side other communities, in near by forests and caves if the settlement isn’t large enough, or actually within the city boarders if it is. They live off their production and protection, however they also tend to provide a service that often goes unnoticed, like maintaining travel routes and keeping crime down (unless they are the ones producing it, in which case its more organised crime) by killing muggers, bandits and dangerous wild animals and the like.
Religion: Ratlings tend not to believe in gods, but have a very shamanic type faith, often valuing animals and the force of nature. Some do follow gods however, and when they do they are almost always gods of nature or with some affinity to animals. Ratlings do not believe in a life after death, instead they believe all life in cyclic and that everyone returns when they pass on, as such they despise undead as it is the wrongful suspension of something’s cyclic nature.
Language: Ratlings speak their own language Muroidic, which is a highly complex version of the communication that common rats still currently use, it consists of squeaks and chirps and sounds much like an average rat’s noise, but with a more regular structure to it. It takes a lot less time to say something in Muroidic than it does with Common, and therefore it is favoured at all times when communing with another ratling, regardless of how impolite it is. Muroidic is next to impossible for others to comprehend, and more so to speak as lots of the sounds made actually fall outside of the human range of hearing and require a special sort of mouth to create. Muroidic has its own script which resembles scratching as all of the characters are constructed out of non touching straight lines.
Names: Ratlings are often not named at birth, and develop their own name as they begin to take on their own personality; as such, most names are nickname like in style, and tend to sum up the character of the ratling.
Adventurers: Ratlings are natural explorers, often seeking out and mapping what’s beyond their boarders and gathering knowledge on it, they also frequently seek out other ratling families in order to trade knowledge. Thus it is not uncommon for ratlings to wander far and wide collection knowledge and passing it around with each other, more so if conditions are worsening where they live. They may also seek out adventure every once in a while if they hear of something of value that’s obtainable and useful to them, or if they start to grow too much in size for them to sustain such a large family. When ratlings do adventure they are likely to be barbarians and rangers if they live outside of other communities, or fighters and rogues if they live inside as they are quick learners and can imitate other fighting styles. Regardless of their environment however most will be scout like in their fighting technique, taking full advantage of their relative speed to size to hit and run their opposition.
RATLING RACIAL TRAITS
+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Constitution, -2 Charisma: Ratlings rely on their dexterity and natural cunning to survive and overcome their enemies, as they are fairly weak for direct combat. Ratlings are generally disliked by most races and can be unruly even to those who do tolerate them.
Size Small: As a Small creature, a ratling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
Speed: Ratling base land speed is 20 feet. However, ratlings can move at
30 feet if they run on all fours (they must have nothing in their hands to do this)
Natural Bite Attack (1d4 damage): Ratlings have sharp teeth and strong jaws like their rat cousins and may make bite attacks as such.
Darkvision: Ratlings can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and ratlings can function just fine with no light at all.
+2 racial bonus to Listen checks: Ratlings have keen ears and can pick up on ultrasonic sounds that fall outside of normal human hearing.
+2 racial bonus to Climb checks or +2 racial bonus to Swim checks (chosen at character creation): Ratlings naturally adapt to movement in the environment that they grow up in, and excelling at either climbing or swimming (but not both).
+2 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks. Ratlings can collapse their bones slightly, allowing them to fit through small holes and slide out of bindings.
Collapsible Bones: Ratlings do not move at half speed when squeezing through tight areas, however they do still take the -4 penalty on attack rolls and a -4 penalty to Armour Class. This feature can only be used if the character is wearing flexible armour (such as leather or chain, but not plate) and whilst not carrying anything. The ratlings base speed bonus for moving on all fours is not hindered while squeezing as long as it can actually move in that way.
Automatic Languages: Common and Muroidic. Muroidic consists of squeaks and chirps, some of which are ultrasonic making any listen DC required to hear a conversation in Muroidic with human-like hearing +2 higher than normal. In addition as Muroidic is derived from the common language of rats, mice, gerbils and hamsters, a ratling can commune with these creatures as per the “speak with animals” spell description, page 281 Players Handbook, however as ratlings use this language at a much higher complexity than these animals do, only very simple sentences can be formed.
Bonus Languages: Gnome, Goblin, Dwarven, Elven and Undercommon. Ratlings live amongst other races, under most major cities or on the outskirts of towns, and therefore commonly pick up popular languages of that area.
Favored Class: Scout. A multiclass ratling scout class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. Ratlings prefer the hit and run type of attack that makes full use of their dexterity and natural hiding abilities.
I've tried to make this a +0 LA race, it has +2 Str and +2 Wis more than it should do for balance, which is +1 LA, but small gives -1 LA, the rest shouldn't be powerful enough to constitute another LA gain on their own.
However I want to know if giving it a natural bite weapon (1d4 probably, maybe 1d6) would kick it over or not, in theory it shouldn't as it would quickly become obsolete, but I'm not sure when its coupled with the other bonuses this race has (mostly the speed)?
Here's the stats, thanks in advance for any feedback =)
EDIT: Changed stats so they are now balanced, added bite attack, clarified collapsing bones speed with the on all fours movement speed.
Are these new stats +0 LA now?
EDIT2: Heres all the fluff, I'm *very* tired now as I've just only finished writing it up, and I'm sure I've made a mistake somwhere, but I might as well dump this hear now so people can read it and fix any (probably glaring) mistakes later. Oh, I've changed the favoured class to scout as I feel its more befitting.
Ratling
In and under every large city, in the back alleys, sewers and slums, lives a race as loved as their ancestors, the ratlings. Ratlings are opportunists, who live alongside other races, in the shadows and the waste sides. Though they are viewed with contempt by most races, and often thought of as nothing more than big rats, ratlings are ingenious survivors and often provide an unseen backbone to most societies. They tend the waterways, and keep the wilderness at bay, and there is little going on that they don’t know about.
Personality: Ratlings share many of their traits with their rat cousins; they have a diehard approach to survival and are unequalled in their ingeniousness for getting around problems. They are incredibly curious and dynamic, and can readily adapt to new situations when they present themselves. Ratlings are mostly good humoured and playful, often enjoying a good joke on others or even themselves. They are also hardy, weathering conditions normally intolerable to others with a surprising carefree nature and will not upset the status quo unless there is a dire need to do so.
Ratlings have a deep sense of individualism; this is mostly brought about from living in societies numbering in the hundreds where each is often treated as an equal and considered family, due to this however, each ratling has their own unique way of doing things and is incredibly defiant of others enforcing their will upon them. Ratlings are loyal to one another, and will never betray another ratling of the same family, however it is possible that two families from different areas might fight for land and resources, but this is very rare and most often they just merge into a larger group.
Physical Description: Ratlings stand at around 2 - 2 ½ foot tall, and weigh 15 – 25 pounds, they prefer to stand erect but are comfortable in moving on all fours. They are covered in coarse fur, usually consistent in colour from any range of browns, blacks and grey while their chests and inner limbs are a slightly lighter shade. As ratlings ages, their fur tends to become longer and more shaggy in texture. They have rat-like heads, which stand forward of their body almost inline with their shoulders, and long thin human like hands. They have prehensile tails often three quarters the length of their height at least; theses are also covered completely in fur. Ratlings wear practical clothes, often hooded cloaks to hide their race while moving around populated areas. They also often wear trinkets, like animal charms, bones or coloured ribbons, which are tied to tails, wrists, belts or hung around the neck.
Relations: Ratlings get along well with other monstrous races, as they often have a common stigmatism for being different and uncultured; however they get along equally as well with any societies that accept them as an equal. In some cases ratlings have been known to provide intelligence networks in cities for the local defence, but they are also just as likely to be the backbone of underground thieves’ guilds depending on the reception the city inhabitance has for them. In most cases ratlings are viewed as a nuisance and disliked, even when they are being useful.
Alignment: Ratlings tend towards true neutrality, to them good and evil is something that happens for the other races, so much so they don’t even have words for them in their own tongue. Ratlings invariably will do whatever it takes to survive, including killing and stealing if needed, however they have a true altruism for others they deem as equal, like their family. Ratlings can be considered chaotic in their individualistic mannerisms and diverse adaptability, and if this is overly emphasised then it is not out of place to have a chaotic ratling. However this is normally countered by their allegiance to their family and their methodical practices, which keeps them neutral.
Ratling Lands: Ratlings tend not to have lands of their own, although they are perfectly capable of living without the reliance of others. However this tends not to happen often, as although ratling societies are very large they make a very low impact on the land they live in and are frequently encroached upon. Ratlings tend to live along side other communities, in near by forests and caves if the settlement isn’t large enough, or actually within the city boarders if it is. They live off their production and protection, however they also tend to provide a service that often goes unnoticed, like maintaining travel routes and keeping crime down (unless they are the ones producing it, in which case its more organised crime) by killing muggers, bandits and dangerous wild animals and the like.
Religion: Ratlings tend not to believe in gods, but have a very shamanic type faith, often valuing animals and the force of nature. Some do follow gods however, and when they do they are almost always gods of nature or with some affinity to animals. Ratlings do not believe in a life after death, instead they believe all life in cyclic and that everyone returns when they pass on, as such they despise undead as it is the wrongful suspension of something’s cyclic nature.
Language: Ratlings speak their own language Muroidic, which is a highly complex version of the communication that common rats still currently use, it consists of squeaks and chirps and sounds much like an average rat’s noise, but with a more regular structure to it. It takes a lot less time to say something in Muroidic than it does with Common, and therefore it is favoured at all times when communing with another ratling, regardless of how impolite it is. Muroidic is next to impossible for others to comprehend, and more so to speak as lots of the sounds made actually fall outside of the human range of hearing and require a special sort of mouth to create. Muroidic has its own script which resembles scratching as all of the characters are constructed out of non touching straight lines.
Names: Ratlings are often not named at birth, and develop their own name as they begin to take on their own personality; as such, most names are nickname like in style, and tend to sum up the character of the ratling.
Adventurers: Ratlings are natural explorers, often seeking out and mapping what’s beyond their boarders and gathering knowledge on it, they also frequently seek out other ratling families in order to trade knowledge. Thus it is not uncommon for ratlings to wander far and wide collection knowledge and passing it around with each other, more so if conditions are worsening where they live. They may also seek out adventure every once in a while if they hear of something of value that’s obtainable and useful to them, or if they start to grow too much in size for them to sustain such a large family. When ratlings do adventure they are likely to be barbarians and rangers if they live outside of other communities, or fighters and rogues if they live inside as they are quick learners and can imitate other fighting styles. Regardless of their environment however most will be scout like in their fighting technique, taking full advantage of their relative speed to size to hit and run their opposition.
RATLING RACIAL TRAITS
+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Constitution, -2 Charisma: Ratlings rely on their dexterity and natural cunning to survive and overcome their enemies, as they are fairly weak for direct combat. Ratlings are generally disliked by most races and can be unruly even to those who do tolerate them.
Size Small: As a Small creature, a ratling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
Speed: Ratling base land speed is 20 feet. However, ratlings can move at
30 feet if they run on all fours (they must have nothing in their hands to do this)
Natural Bite Attack (1d4 damage): Ratlings have sharp teeth and strong jaws like their rat cousins and may make bite attacks as such.
Darkvision: Ratlings can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and ratlings can function just fine with no light at all.
+2 racial bonus to Listen checks: Ratlings have keen ears and can pick up on ultrasonic sounds that fall outside of normal human hearing.
+2 racial bonus to Climb checks or +2 racial bonus to Swim checks (chosen at character creation): Ratlings naturally adapt to movement in the environment that they grow up in, and excelling at either climbing or swimming (but not both).
+2 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks. Ratlings can collapse their bones slightly, allowing them to fit through small holes and slide out of bindings.
Collapsible Bones: Ratlings do not move at half speed when squeezing through tight areas, however they do still take the -4 penalty on attack rolls and a -4 penalty to Armour Class. This feature can only be used if the character is wearing flexible armour (such as leather or chain, but not plate) and whilst not carrying anything. The ratlings base speed bonus for moving on all fours is not hindered while squeezing as long as it can actually move in that way.
Automatic Languages: Common and Muroidic. Muroidic consists of squeaks and chirps, some of which are ultrasonic making any listen DC required to hear a conversation in Muroidic with human-like hearing +2 higher than normal. In addition as Muroidic is derived from the common language of rats, mice, gerbils and hamsters, a ratling can commune with these creatures as per the “speak with animals” spell description, page 281 Players Handbook, however as ratlings use this language at a much higher complexity than these animals do, only very simple sentences can be formed.
Bonus Languages: Gnome, Goblin, Dwarven, Elven and Undercommon. Ratlings live amongst other races, under most major cities or on the outskirts of towns, and therefore commonly pick up popular languages of that area.
Favored Class: Scout. A multiclass ratling scout class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. Ratlings prefer the hit and run type of attack that makes full use of their dexterity and natural hiding abilities.