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DrakebloodIV
2008-12-09, 02:00 AM
Birdfolk Racial features


+2 Str, -2 Con- Birdfolk have powerful wings but tend to be quite frail
+5 to all checks in the flight skill
Pinpoint accuracy- When using any sort of ranged weapon, a Birdfolk may use abilities that work in a fixed range as though they could work at double that range (Example sneak attack at 60 ft, improved from 30)
Languages Avian and Common, Bonus languages- Elven, Halfling,
Favored class- Winged warrior
LA (+0?)

Subgroups of birdfolk

Owlfolk

+10 to move silently checks when flying
+2 to wisdom
Cannot speak any language but may learn to read languages as they learn languages normally

Seagulfolk

Do not take penalties to lifting off or landing in water
+3 to swim checks
May continue to act as though flying for 1 round after entering water
-2 intelligence



Flight skill mechanics

Untrained- No
ACP- Yes
Requirements to take ranks in the skill- Some form of physical wings (Magical means of flight to not count) at least one level of Winged Warrior
Skill check- Varies between Str, Dex and Con
Simple flight actions- Str
{table=head] Name | DC | Result
Controlled Dive | - | When in a controlled dive
Liftoff | 20 | Gets airborne at 10 feet above the ground
Climb | 15 | Increases the hight of the player by 5 feet and an additional 5 feet per 10 the check is exceeded by
Flap | 10 | Stay at the same height you are at, must be made every turn before any other action
Move | 5 | Move 10 feet for every 5 you exceed the check by
Turn | 10 | Turn in the middle of moving rather than ending your move action to change direction
Dive | 10 | Go into a controlled dive
Stabilize | 20 | return to a controlled dive when falling
[/table]
Advanced Flight Manuvers- Dex
{table=head] Name | DC | Result
Barrel roll* | 20+attacker level | Dodge a ranged attack & move 5 feet in one direction. A birdman may only barrel roll a number of times equal to the number the check was exeeded by /5 and goes into an uncontrolled fall if the check is failed.
Swoop* | 30 | A birdman may pull up and attack in the same action, making attacks for every square moved
Pull up | 20 | Pull out of a controlled dive, move 4 squares foreward and immediately make a check to climb with a +5 bonus
Soften fall | 10 | Reduce all damage from falling to 1d6/50 feet
[/table]
*=feat required
Long term flight- Con
{table=head] Name | DC | Result
[/table]
Flight Penalties
{table=head] Name | DC modifyer
Wind | +1 to +20 for all checks in one direction and - the same amount for checks in the opposite direction
Spells in the air | +Caster Level for all negative spells in the air and +3 x Caster Level for all Air negative spells in the air (Distance is DM's discretion)
Light armor | -3 to all fly checks in addition to ACP
Medium armor | -10 to all fly checks in addition to ACP
Heavy armor | -20 to ally fly checks in addition to ACP
Weapons/shields | -3 when wielding light weapons and -7 when wielding one handed -5 for wielding a light shield and -12 for wielding a heavy shield. An additional -3 for wielding shields made of metal
Offbalance | When wielding weapons of different weights an additional -10 to all fly checks
[/table]


Winged warrior rough draft

Weapon Proficiency- All simple and martial weapons, also Footbow and wingblades
{table=head] Lvl | BaB | W | R | F | Abilities
1 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +1 | 1 flight maneuver feat,
2 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +2 | 1 flight maneuver feat, foot weapons
[/table]

MORE SOON

Tempest Fennac
2008-12-09, 02:55 AM
This is interresting. Regarding the Flight skill, have you ever heard of a race called Raptorans which gain flying skills? Also, I'd have thought a Dex bonus would have been a better fit then Str.

FMArthur
2008-12-09, 03:28 AM
A Factotum of any race could fly better than a birdfolk if you implemented this!

I strongly suggest you read up on Raptorans from Races of the Wild and possibly use its flying mechanic for birdfolk instead of a skill, and then think of interesting ways to differentiate between the races. I like Pinpoint Accuracy, it seems cool.

Zeta Kai
2008-12-09, 06:58 AM
I might also note that owls being particularly smart is a myth, based on their large, seemingly-perceptive eyes. They are actually rather dumb birds.

Now crows, those damn things are smart. A crow will use a stick in its beak to scrape up roadkill. Beware, they use tools.

Knaight
2008-12-09, 08:13 AM
Eh, so do squirrels. Of course, squirrels developed volley fire military tactics with small apples aiming at individual targets. Such as dogs, or small children. And the apples hurt too. A lot. When your a small child.

Back on topic. Pinpoint accuracy is pretty cool, but you should also let them use an arrow block or something with a feat, by flapping their wings to blow the arrow to the side. Its not realistic, but its awesome. As for the flight skill, flight speed works better for most stuff, and the DCs are a bit high. DC 20 should be something like rotate totally sideways for a few seconds to fit through a narrow place.

Tempest Fennac
2008-12-09, 08:20 AM
Crows in Japan have also figured out how to use traffic lights to their advantage to open nuts. If you need information on how Raptorans work, they are on page 32 of http://www.crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Races.pdf (they are basically think humans with bird wings, heaers instead of head hair and bird feet).

DrakebloodIV
2008-12-09, 11:36 AM
I know about Raptorans, I just really dislike the way their flight works. The gradual progression from gliding to really crappy flying to real flying when all the cool powers are finally popping up (LVL 11 right) and even then flight is only used to avoid climb and jump checks and to get out of sticky situations. I'm hoping to have the fly skill provide combat manuvers and be useful for the long term, rather than just being useful for a short amount of time between medium and high/epic levels.

DrakebloodIV
2008-12-09, 11:56 AM
Also, I'd have thought a Dex bonus would have been a better fit then Str.

If you have ever seen the muscular system of a bird, you'd see that they are incredibly lean.

DrakebloodIV
2008-12-09, 12:14 PM
As for the flight skill, flight speed works better for most stuff, and the DCs are a bit high. DC 20 should be something like rotate totally sideways for a few seconds to fit through a narrow place.

Time to rock the math!

1st level Character. Natural +5 to fly, 4 ranks in fly, 18 str= a total of +13 Bonus to fly checks. A little under a 75% chance of success on checks of DC 20

Baron Corm
2008-12-09, 12:17 PM
I know about Raptorans, I just really dislike the way their flight works. The gradual progression from gliding to really crappy flying to real flying when all the cool powers are finally popping up (LVL 11 right) and even then flight is only used to avoid climb and jump checks and to get out of sticky situations. I'm hoping to have the fly skill provide combat manuvers and be useful for the long term, rather than just being useful for a short amount of time between medium and high/epic levels.

It's actually level 5, and it is quite useful for hitting other flying or high-up enemies with ranged attacks that you wouldn't be able to reach, or avoiding attacks by those without flying, while still hitting them with ranged attacks. And in your system... anyone can fly, including humans... ?

JackMage666
2008-12-09, 01:13 PM
Turning anything into a skill base system leaves ALOT of room for abuse. While it's not terribly advanced now, the more you add to the skill, the more room for cheese there is.

For example, by about Lvl 5, you don't need to fear ranged attacks anymore, thanks to Barrel Roll. A DC 20+Attack HD isn't that hard to hit when you have max ranks, a decent dex, the natural bonus, skill focus, and an additional +5 skill bonus item.

DrakebloodIV
2008-12-09, 01:16 PM
Gonna do some fixing to barrel roll

also gonna add more penalties for a DM to abuse use

DrakebloodIV
2008-12-09, 03:40 PM
Bumping 'cuz I updated lotsa stuff