(4e) Has anybody fleshed out some of the odd races?

[Ozreth]

Was wondering if anybody has written up full stat blocks for some of the races that arent really covered in the PHB1-3, such as kobolds, orcs, illithids, and the like.

I want to put some of these in my campaign as playable races but am no good at this sort of thing.

[Reynard]

Bugbears, Dopplergangers, Drow, Githzerai, Gnolls, Gobbos, Hobgobbos, Kobolds, Orcs and Shadar Kai are all in playable forms the monster manual, under Racial Traits. As are some other races that have been updated in the PHBs, such as Gnomes and Minotaurs.

Bullywugs, Deurgar and Kenku were statted in Monster Manual 2.

[hamishspence]

I got the impression that what was meant, was full writeups- in the fashion of the PHB.

Shadar-kai, for example, get one in Dragon Compendium.

[Ozreth]

I got the impression that what was meant, was full writeups- in the fashion of the PHB.

Shadar-kai, for example, get one in Dragon Compendium.

Yep, thats what I was lookin for, and this is a start. Thanks : )

[Ozreth]

Bugbears, Dopplergangers, Drow, Githzerai, Gnolls, Gobbos, Hobgobbos, Kobolds, Orcs and Shadar Kai are all in playable forms the monster manual, under Racial Traits. As are some other races that have been updated in the PHBs, such as Gnomes and Minotaurs.

Bullywugs, Deurgar and Kenku were statted in Monster Manual 2.

This could help too thought, I'll take a look. Thanks.

[Kurald Galain]

Was wondering if anybody has written up full stat blocks for some of the races that arent really covered in the PHB1-3, such as kobolds, orcs, illithids, and the like.

Several of them are in the monster manual. I'd be happy to take requests if you have any.

For instance, the IllitSquid Thingy.

Ability scores: +2 int, +2 cha
Size: medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: low-light
Languages: common, deep speech
Skill bonuses: insight +2, dungeoneering +2
Mind absorption: whenever you reduce an enemy to zero hit points, you gain +1 to your next attack roll or skill check this encounter.

You gain Mind Blast as an encounter power:
Minor action, close blast 3, targets each enemy in blast.
(Int, wis or cha) +3 vs will. At paragon, +6; at epic, +9.
Hit: the target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn, and takes -2 to its next attack roll.

Heroic feat: expanded mind blast, turns it into a close blast 5.
Heroic feat: extra mind blast, you may use it twice per encounter.
Paragon feat: powerful mind blast, one creature hit by your mind blast is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Epic feat: superior mind blast, all creatures hit by your mind blast are immobilized until the end of your next turn.

[hamishspence]

Sorry, the actual name is Dragon Magazine Annual (I sometimes forget that while it is similar in concept, the name is different from its 3.5 ed counterpart, the Dragon Compendium).

It also has dhampir- half-vampires, though they are handled as an upgrade to existing races of any kind- you take the feat, and your human, elf, dwarf, etc, is now a half-vampire and can take further half-vampire options, like paragon paths.

Bladelings are in Manual of the Planes

As far as I recall, most of the others require a subscription to Dragon Magazine.

Though Drow and Genasi are in Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, and Changelings & Warforged are in Eberron Player's Guide.

(Changelings in 4th Ed are basically dopplegangers, but with a slightly worse disguise racial power)

[Ozreth]

Hm, turns out most of what Im looking for is in the back of the MM, not sure how I overlooked this part.

And Kurald clenched my thirst for the squid thingy perfectly. Thanks!

[hamishspence]

Hm, turns out most of what Im looking for is in the back of the MM

True- but it's always nice to see a race fully written up.

[The Glyphstone]

Heroic feat: expanded mind blast, turns it into a close blast 5.
Heroic feat: extra mind blast, you may use it twice per encounter.
Paragon feat: powerful mind blast, one creature hit by your mind blast is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Epic feat: superior mind blast, all creatures hit by your mind blast are immobilized until the end of your next turn.

Shouldn't the paragon and Epic feats be swapped? Unless I'm misremembering, Immobilized just means they can't move out of their current square, while Dazed makes it so they can't take any actions.

[hamishspence]

Nope- when you are dazed you can still take 1 action in your turn (standard or move or minor).

[Ozreth]

True- but it's always nice to see a race fully written up.

I agree : )

[Kurald Galain]

Dazed makes it so they can't take any actions.

You're probably thinking of Stunned.

[The Glyphstone]

You're probably thinking of Stunned.

Right. So maybe the Epic feat should make them Stunned, if it's an upgrade from dazed?

[hamishspence]

yes- Immobilized doesn't really fit anywhere, since the only thing you can't do is move- you can used ranged attacks, or melee attacks if enemies are close enough, just fine.

Stunned was also what the 3.5 mind blast did- so it would fit.

[Kurald Galain]

Right. So maybe the Epic feat should make them Stunned, if it's an upgrade from dazed?

Yeah, but then you'd get a minor action area effect stun, which I considered decidedly overpowered.

Essentially, 4E has "nuisance" conditions (slow, immobilize, restrain, blind, daze, weaken) and "crippling" conditions (stun, petrify, dominate, unconscious) and it's generally not a good idea to make the latter easily accessible.

[Tiki Snakes]

This might also be worth a look.

I've not really playtested any of it, but it's pretty reasonable as far as I've seen, for homebrew.

[Asbestos]

Yeah, but then you'd get a minor action area effect stun, which I considered decidedly overpowered.

Essentially, 4E has "nuisance" conditions (slow, immobilize, restrain, blind, daze, weaken) and "crippling" conditions (stun, petrify, dominate, unconscious) and it's generally not a good idea to make the latter easily accessible.

Then why not make it daze all creatures hit by the blast?


The best official analogues would be the Epic Tier dragonborn breath feats:
CONCUSSIVE BREATH
Prerequisite: 21st level, dragonborn, dragon breath
racial power that deals lightning damage, Thunder Breath feat
Benefit: Your draaon breath deals thunder and lightning damage. Each target hit by your dragon breath is dazed until the end ofyour next turn, and you push the target a number of squares equal to your Constitution modifier.

FREEZING BREATH
Prerequisite: 21st level, dragon born, draaon breath racial power that deals cold damage, Frost Breath feat
Benefit: Each creature hit by your dragon breath is immobilized until the end ofyour next turn.

[Kurald Galain]

This might also be worth a look.

I've not really playtested any of it, but it's pretty reasonable as far as I've seen, for homebrew.

Nice thread. I was writing a response until I realized it's almost a year old. I'm not sure that's "pretty reasonable", though: of the first three races that I read, the quickling is pretty situational, the banshrae is entirely underwhelming, and the harpy is really overpowered.

Then why not make it daze all creatures hit by the blast?

Sure, that could also work. Maybe paragon: immobilize all, and epic: daze all.

[Tiki Snakes]

Nice thread. I was writing a response until I realized it's almost a year old. I'm not sure that's "pretty reasonable", though: of the first three races that I read, the quickling is pretty situational, the banshrae is entirely underwhelming, and the harpy is really overpowered.

I think the thread itself is also a compendium of the original bunch of homebrew threads. It's getting a bit old at this point, sure, but for what it is, it's pretty damn okay. I'd certainly have a second look at any such race before giving them to a player, but I'd say it's all within shouting distance of balanced at the very least.

And for the most part, that's good enough really.

It would have been nice to see the thread continue and the entries receive further work, though. Still, I've had it bookmarked for quite a while now, just in case.

[Kurald Galain]

It would have been nice to see the thread continue and the entries receive further work, though. Still, I've had it bookmarked for quite a while now, just in case.

I'd be happy to help, but I don't think forum rules allow that, because of thread necromancy.