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  1. - Top - End - #1
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    DwarfFighterGuy

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    Lightbulb [3.5] Owls: The Sparrow [PEACH]

    So, I recently watched “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole” and you know what kept popping into my mind? That one owl is totally a bard and that got me to thinking. If that owl could be a bard what are the other owl’s classes? Which brought me to the conclusion that it might be interesting to run a game where you play as birds. Not necessarily based on the books or movie, and not necessarily with just owls. Just birds, but it would require certain… modifications to the rules. Which is why we’re here, of course.

    Right then: design goals
    • Races: Think of birds, and come up with appropriate racial traits for them. Coming up with birds should be easy, there’s plenty of different kinds of birds out there, but the traits will probably take some thought


    • Weapons: Come up with weapons for birds, similar to races, but with the opposite challenge. Coming up with the stats for weapons should be pretty simple, but coming up with weapons may be difficult, it depends on how personified one decides to go.


    • Magic: How is magic handled without hands? When the magician is an animal, can they have a familiar? It could be that there’s little to no actual change here.


    Thoughts? Comments? Any suggestions, ideas, or comments are welcome. I’m going to keep mulling the idea over and post what I come up with, until then I welcome any help.
    Last edited by Falin; 2012-04-04 at 06:33 AM.

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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    The easiest way to make this is an Awakened Owl Bard. As an NPC it would be interesting but wings can't hold weapons. You could have them wear metal spurs on their talons (like fighting roosters), which would add 1d4 to their damage. I made up the spurs in an earlier thread on Demonic Abyssal Chickens so it would make sense to give this weapon to any bird with talons.

    Debby
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  3. - Top - End - #3
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    DwarfFighterGuy

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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    No, see, not an npc, stuff for a campagin were it's just birds, and perhaps other animals.

    But thank you.
    Last edited by Falin; 2011-06-05 at 08:29 PM.

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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    would there be any people at all in the setting or just lots of Awakened Animals? If there are people, then how do they view all these talking creatures? If there are no people, then how are the animals able to make anything but the crudest of weapons and armor since Birds at least would have a difficult time working a Forge and Anvil.
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  5. - Top - End - #5
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    Quote Originally Posted by Falin View Post
    No, see, not an npc, stuff for a campagin were it's just birds, and perhaps other animals.

    But thank you.
    Antigamer did have a Redwall campaign thread running, maybe you should look there for ideas.
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  6. - Top - End - #6
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    Good point Silver, it depends on how much like human you're making them.
    There could be humans, or it could be all animals. Either way, these animals could very well be able to craft complex pieces of equipment. After all for as long as I can remember animals have been doing things that require more manual dexterity, mice have ridden motorcycles, and all forms of furry creature have taken part in pitched battle against ultimate evil, or for ultimate evil, you know. Depending on the setting this takes place in it may not even come up. Honestly, this should be handled on a case by case basis. I’m not really setting out to make a setting, so much as coming up with stuff for birds as characters.

    Thanks for the advice Atlantean.

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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    Be sure to make your owl sufficiently scary and EVIL.
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  8. - Top - End - #8
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    I'll keep that in mind.

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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    Use Raptorans, reflavour to taste? Sure, you are medium, but making everyone tiny means that no one will ever spot anyone else when they hide.
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  10. - Top - End - #10
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    Another good point, thanks.

  11. - Top - End - #11
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls

    Alright, I’ve got a preliminary list of birds.

    • Crow: Like their shinies, not too pretty; favored class: Rouge


    • Hawk: divergent in size, quick, perhaps the humans of the bird world; favored class: any


    • Owl: large, great sense, if not too bright; favored class: fighter


    • Sparrow: Slight of build, pretty, can you say elf?; favored class: Wizard


    • Sparrowhawk: Not actually a cross between a hawk and a sparrow, but the name is too convienient; favored class: any


    • Wren: Small with loud, complex songs; favored class: bard


    That’s what I’ve got, thoughts and suggestions welcome.

  12. - Top - End - #12
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Crow [PEACH]

    This took longer than I would have liked. But I lost all my work. But it's done now! tell me what you think.

    Crow

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    Personality: Crows are greedy and underhanded. Constantly scheming and plotting to fulfill an almost pathological need to obtain things that shine and gleam. They usually prefer to keep to themselves only approaching others when they see something they want and then usually not directly.
    Physical description: Crows are generally around 4-4 1/2 feet in length with dull black feathers and loud rasping voices.
    Relations: Crows, born and bred to lies and larceny, are mistrustful of other races as well as their own compatriots. Few outsiders ever see a crow’s nest and those who seek them out can easily find themself overwhelmed by a mob.
    Alignment: Crow are almost always chaotic, and tend toward neutrality though they can easily be either good or evil.
    Crow Lands: Crows make their nests in dark pine forests where their dark feathers blend with the gloom. Areas occupied by a murder are almost always full of hiding spots for the various trinkets and treasures Crows hoard.
    Religion: Crows revere Kath, trickster god of the Crows. As well as any patron of thievery deception and betrayal.
    Language: Crow is a harsh, simple language that is spoken in short bursts of squawks and caws
    Names: Crow names are short and usually feature hard consonant sounds
    Male names: Tak, Dan, Ryd, Stk, Lak
    Female names: Sek, Tan, Med, Stn, det
    Adventurers: Despite the crow’s fixation with wealth and possessions they lack fine craftsmen of their own. Most crow adventurers seek objects to add to their hoards

    Crow Racial Traits:
    -+2 dex -2 cha: Crows are quick and agile, but unattractive.
    -Medium: As Medium creatures, crows have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
    -Crow base land speed is 20 feet/ round
    -Gliding (Ex): A Crow can use their wings to glide, negating damage from a fall of any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent; Crows glide at a speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability). Even if a Crow’s maneuverability improves, they can’t hover while gliding. A Crow can’t glide while carrying a medium or heavy load. If a Crow becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, their wings naturally unfurl and powerful ligaments stiffen the wings. The Crow descends in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall.
    -Flight (EX): When a crow reaches its 1st Hit Dice it gains the ability to fly at a speed of 30 ft per round (poor) and can’t fly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while fatigued or exausted.
    Crows can safely fly for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). They can exert themselves to fly for up to twice as long, but then they’re fatigued at the end of the flight. Crows are likewise fatigued after spending a total of more than 10 minutes per day flying. Because Crows can glide before, after, and between rounds of actual flight, they can remain aloft for extended periods (even if they can only use flight for 1 round at a time without becoming fatigued).

    When they reach 6 Hit Dice, Crows have enough stamina and prowess to fly for longer periods. They can fly at a speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability), and flying requires no more exertion than walking or running. A Crow with flight can make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the Crow must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. A Crow can make a dive attack only when wielding a piercing weapon; if the attack hits, it deals double damage. A Crow with flight can use the run action while flying, provided she flies in a straight line.
    -Greed: Crows are exceptionally greedy and are always trying to decide the worth of anything they come across granting a +4 bonus to appraise checks.
    -Guile: Crows are constantly lying and being lied to granting a +2 bonus to bluff and sense motive checks.
    -+4 racial bonus to hide checks in areas of shadowy illumination, and -4 penelty to hide checks in areas or bright illimination
    -Automatic Languages: Crow, common
    -Favored Class: Rogue



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    Kath: The god of crows, Kath is chaotic neutral. Known as the Trickster, the Black One, and the Bandit King. Kath is the lord and creator of all Crows. He rules over the accumulation of wealth, deceit, and all that is hidden. He is associated with riches, chaos, neutrality, and trickery.
    Last edited by Falin; 2011-06-17 at 01:23 PM.

  13. - Top - End - #13
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Crow [PEACH]

    Cool! What's next?
    Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, unless you brought someone bigger and tastier along with you.


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  14. - Top - End - #14
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Crow [PEACH]

    Hawks, oh, it should be noted that these write ups are for games with a mix of flying and ground based encounters if the setting your using only has flying creatures, or at least, your party will only be running into flying combat, just give them full flight at first HD.

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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Crow [PEACH]

    Things to consider adding:

    Wood-peckers: (SOMEONE has to carve out the more complex architectural structures).

    Humming birds: SUGAR RUSH!!! Because what setting DOESN'T need a fragile speedster option? Berzerker tendencies optional.

    Seagulls: Between the following you should be able to find something you like:
    • The Gaurdians of Ga'Hoole BOOKS
    • Keharr (sp?) from Watership Down (although I am not sure if he WAS a seagull, but if not he may have talked about them?)
    • Finding Nemo(Also good for pelican inspiration?)
    • maybe even Johnathon Livingston Seagull (but it might not tell you enough about NORMAL seagulls)


    Ostrich/Emu/Rhea: Strength? Yes. Flight? No.

    Really, I could go on listing various species, but these are the ones that seem the most interesting to me.

    Speaking of the Gaurdians of Ga'Hoole books, they really get into the differences between the species of owls over the course of the series. Note that the author does play fast and loose with biology on some points. Just as an example: I hear that the bats are blind. There are even the equivalents of demons and tieflings in it after a certain point. Check your library?
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  16. - Top - End - #16
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Crow [PEACH]

    I considered humming birds, but I'm not sure why I decided against them. I never thought of wood-peckers, interesting idea. As to seagulls, that had actually just occurred to me as well.

    And I'm well aware of the differences between bird species, but I really can't say I have the time to go through all the bird species and write up stat blocks for them all, so for now, I’ll just do some general stuff.

  17. - Top - End - #17
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    Default Re: Owls: The Hawk [PEACH]

    And here's the noble hawk. I somehow get the feeling I missed something here. Any ideas what? Oh, and expect the "relations" sections to change as I get a better idea what these races are like.

    Hawk

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    Personality: Hawks are proud and honorable valuing truth and order above all else. They welcome strangers but are quick to turn on their guests when they discover deceit.
    Physical description: Hawks range from 5 to 7 feet in length and have feathers ranging from light silver to dark brow. Sleek and slender Hawks have wickedly curved beaks and
    Relations: Hawks tend to be understanding of most races, but crows, who stand opposite Hawks in questions of honor an honesty are given little tolerance.
    Alignment: Hawks are almost always lawful and good those who stray towards evil are cast out of hawk society lest they corrupt more to their wicked ways, while those who follow chaos can find themselves ostracized by their peers.
    Hawk Lands: Hawks prefer to nest in high rocky areas where they can hunt without obstructions. However it is not uncommon for Hawks to settle outlying forests and valleys in times of prosperity and growth.
    Religion: Hawks Worship Vrell On Rathen the hawk god of the sun. As well as any god that upholds the principals of honor, truth, and justice.
    Language Hawk is a complex and articulate language that is characterized by trills and sudden jumps in pitch and tone.
    Names: Hawk names are intricate and varied, but almost always contain rolling letters*, and a jump ethier up or down**. Hawk names contain three parts, a family name, a given name, and a personal name chosen by the hawk when they reach adulthood which they only share with their most trusted companions.
    Male Names: Vr’ell Me˄rek Kethen, Fell˅on Leshken T’ran, Fer’˄ath beknel Neran
    Female Names: Dr’en O˅lkan Melfin, Hast˄a R’ekn Frel, Mala Tr’˄ell Lene
    Adventurers: Hawk value honor and justice above all else. Adventures are often dedicated to spreading those values to the rest of the world, while other simply didn’t fit into the mold of hawk society.
    * marked by a ’
    ** down ˅ up ˄

    Hawk Racial Traits:
    -+2 Wis, +2 str, -2 dex: Hawks are strong and aware of their surroundings, but not very agile.
    -Medium: As Medium creatures, hawks have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
    -Hawk Base Land Speed is 20 feet
    -Gliding (Ex): A Hawk can use their wings to glide, negating damage from a fall of any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent; Hawks glide at a speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability). Even if a Hawk’s maneuverability improves, they can’t hover while gliding. A Hawk can’t glide while carrying a medium or heavy load. If a Hawk becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, their wings naturally unfurl and powerful ligaments stiffen the wings. The Hawk descends in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall.
    -Flight (EX): When a Hawk reaches its 1st Hit Dice it gains the ability to fly at a speed of 40 ft per round (poor) and can’t fly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while fatigued or exhausted.
    Hawks can safely fly for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). They can exert themselves to fly for up to twice as long, but then they’re fatigued at the end of the flight. Hawks are likewise fatigued after spending a total of more than 10 minutes per day flying. Because Hawks can glide before, after, and between rounds of actual flight, they can remain aloft for extended periods (even if they can only use flight for 1 round at a time without becoming fatigued).

    When they reach 6 Hit Dice, Hawks have enough stamina and prowess to fly for longer periods. They can fly at a speed of 50 feet (average), and flying requires no more exertion than walking or running. A Hawk with flight can make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the Hawk must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. A Hawk can make a dive attack only when wielding a piercing weapon; if the attack hits, it deals double damage. A Hawk with flight can use the run action while flying, provided she flies in a straight line.
    -Soar (EX): Hawk’s are able to find pockets of rising air to allow themselves to fly for longer periods of time as well as quickly climb during flight. At 4 Hit Dice a Hawk can make a wisdom check (DC 20) as a full round action to find a thermal and ascend. A hawk must fly at least 5 ft in any direction before assending and may then ascend at a rate of up to their flight speed. Their movement for the round cannot exceed their total flight speed.
    Hunter’s eye: A Hawk’s eyes are so finely tuned that they can spot a mouse moving through the grass from a mile above granting a +4 bonus on spot checks
    Night blindness: A Hawk’s eyes are adjusted perfectly for day vision. A Hawk sees half as far in areas of shadowy illumination
    -Automatic Languages: Hawk, Common
    -Favored Class: Paladin


    Vrell On Rathen

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    The god of Hawks, Vrell On Rathen is lawful good. Known as the Bright One, Shining Hawk King, the Solar lord, and the Keeper of Justice. Vrell On Rathen rules over the Hawks with a firm and just hand. He rules over justice, honesty, and honor. Vrell On Rathen is associated with law, good, justice, honor, and truth.
    Last edited by Falin; 2012-04-04 at 05:24 AM.

  18. - Top - End - #18
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    PirateGirl

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    Default Re: Owls: The Hawk [PEACH]

    Actually, this would be perfect for a template. This sounds like like Talking Beast which I'm sorta taking from Folkloric Gallia but it's open content so it isn't a problem.

    First, it would affect only Animals. Change Type to Magical Beast and they would probably gain the Augmented subtype. They would gain human-like intelligence, the ability to talk, and the ability to walk upright.

    You can add more to this, but I think it covers the basics. If you want to give the creatures the ability to use weapons, you might want to consider the Anthropomorphi template in Savage Species. However, the Anthropomorphic template gives creatures human-like hands and feet. I wasn't sure that was where you wanted to go.

    It also wouldn't change the size of the creature. So owls would keep their Tiny size.

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    Default Re: Owls: The Hawk [PEACH]

    If what she says is true, what you are looking for might be replicated in homebrew via the Royal Animal template. See especially the following paragraph at the end:
    WHY INTRODUCE ROYAL ANIMALS?
    Many fantasy sources refer to animals that are intelligent beyond the normal ken of such creatures, but simply applying the ‘magical beast’ to any such creature is a terrible misnomer at best. Many of these creatures are no more magical then a standard rock, they’re simply more intelligent.
    Take the animals from the Narnia series of books by C.S. Lewis. While these animals are typically larger, braver, and fiercer then standard animals, they rarely possess any actual magical qualities that separate them from the dumb beasts.
    The royal animals in this document are more directly based on the royal animals presented in Jane Lindskold’s Through the Wolf’s Eyes novel, and its sequels. The books detail the impact such creatures could have on not only a single campaign, but an actual setting or world.
    Last edited by DracoDei; 2011-06-18 at 06:26 PM.
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    Default Re: Owls: The Hawk [PEACH]

    A template would probably give me the effects I'm looking for or most of them at least. But it wouldn't really give me the flavor of a race. And the flavor, in my opinion, is just as important as the efffects. It gives players a place to start, tells them if their honerable crow paladin is an outcast and a rebel amoung their own kind illsuted to life amoung their peers, or just a crow, who's clever, and can smite evil.

    Now, I could just add that to the template enhanced crow, but if I'm going to do that, I may as well do all the work for several talking animals and tell my players that's what stuff I have for them. Plus I'm almost done with owls.

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    Default Re: Owls: The Hawk [PEACH]

    Quote Originally Posted by Falin View Post
    A template would probably give me the effects I'm looking for or most of them at least. But it wouldn't really give me the flavor of a race. And the flavor, in my opinion, is just as important as the efffects. It gives players a place to start, tells them if their honerable crow paladin is an outcast and a rebel amoung their own kind illsuted to life amoung their peers, or just a crow, who's clever, and can smite evil.

    Now, I could just add that to the template enhanced crow, but if I'm going to do that, I may as well do all the work for several talking animals and tell my players that's what stuff I have for them. Plus I'm almost done with owls.
    That works too.
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    Default Re: Owls: The Owl [PEACH]

    The owl, for your consideration.

    Owl

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    Personality: Owls are reclusive and secretive preferring to remain separate from other races. The tend to stay deep within their forest homes, only venturing out when food is scares and they need to move farther to feed themselves. Not unfriendly, those who manage to take on the daunting task of gaining an owls trust will find themself with a fiercely loyal friend.
    Physical description: Ranging from 6 to 9-1/2 feet in length owls are much wider for their length than other birds their size. Their feathers are usually dark, ranging from dark red to brown, but much lighter colors, even white, aren’t unheard of.
    Relations: Owls are shy by nature, and prefer to watch the other races from afar. However, once contact has been made owls are friendly and welcoming, inviting strangers into their homes warmly. Despite this owls are consistently reserved and quiet, preferring to allow other races to carry out their ambitions so long as they are left in peace.
    Alignment: Owls are predominantly neutral good.
    Owl Lands: Owls live in the depths of hardwood forests. Unlike other races owls don’t construct homes for themselves and instead live in natural hollows in their trees.
    Religion: Owls follow Travrux, the owl goddess of the moon as well as any god who rules over nature, wisdom, and silence.
    Language: Owl is a language of whispering hoots and the subtle clacking of beak and tallons.
    Names: Owl names are blends of the names of all of their ancestors and a name which they are given at birth. Owl names can stretch into long strings of names without any sort of separation between them but in conversation an owl usually uses only their given name.
    Male names: Fren, Galin, Foust, Mekil, Sore
    Female names: Meke, Ren, Stelle, Fara
    Adventurers: Despite their isolationist tendencies some owls are struck by wanderlust and strike forth on their own. More often, however, owl adventures are members of owl society who were called to action by the owl high lords and have yet to find their way back home.

    Owl Racial Traits:
    -+2 wis, +2 cha, -2 int: Owls are aware and friendly but not particularly bright
    -Medium: As a medium creature owls have no special bonus due to size.
    Or
    -Large (long): -1 attack and AC, +4 special attacks, -4 hide, space 10 ft, normal reach, *2 carrying capacity
    -Owl Base Land Speed is 20 ft (30 is large)
    -Superior low-light vision (ex): Owls see five times as far as humans in areas of shadowy illumination
    -Darkvision (ex): At 3 hit dice owls gain Darkvision out to 60 feet increase this field of vision by 60 feet for ever three hit dice the owl gains.
    -Gliding (Ex): A Owl can use their wings to glide, negating damage from a fall of any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent; Owls glide at a speed of 30 feet (average) (or poor if large). Even if a Owl’s maneuverability improves, they can’t hover while gliding. A Owl can’t glide while carrying a medium or heavy load. If a Owl becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, their wings naturally unfurl and powerful ligaments stiffen the wings. The Owl descends in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall.
    -Flight (EX): When an Owl reaches its 1st Hit Dice it gains the ability to fly at a speed of 40 ft per round (poor) (clumsy if large) and can’t fly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while fatigued or exhausted.
    Owls can safely fly for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). They can exert themselves to fly for up to twice as long, but then they’re fatigued at the end of the flight. Owls are likewise fatigued after spending a total of more than 10 minutes per day flying. Because Owls can glide before, after, and between rounds of actual flight, they can remain aloft for extended periods (even if they can only use flight for 1 round at a time without becoming fatigued).

    When they reach 7 Hit Dice, Owls have enough stamina and prowess to fly for longer periods. They can fly at a speed of 40 feet (average) (poor if large), and flying requires no more exertion than walking or running. A Owl with flight can make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the Owl must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. A Owl can make a dive attack only when wielding a piercing weapon; if the attack hits, it deals double damage. A Owl with flight can use the run action while flying, provided she flies in a straight line.
    -Soar (EX): Owl’s are able to find pockets of rising air to allow themselves to fly for longer periods of time as well as quickly climb during flight. At 4 Hit Dice a Owl can make a wisdom check (DC 20) as a full round action to find a thermal and ascend. A Owl must fly at least 5 ft in any direction before assending and may then ascend at a rate of up to their flight speed. Their movement for the round cannot exceed their total flight speed.
    -Awareness: Owl’s senses are very acute granting a +4 bonus on spot and listen checks
    -+2 move silently: Owls can fly in complete silence.
    -Light blindness: Owl’s eyes are perfectly adjusted to night flight in areas of bright illumination their field of vision is halved.
    -Automatic Languages: Owl
    -Favored Class: Druid


    Travrux

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    Travrux is the goddess of the moon and queen of the owls. She goes by the names the Radiant Lady, Nature’s Mistress, and the Lunar Guardian. She watches over the Owls and all they hold in high regard. She is associated with nature, protection, the moon, and light.
    Last edited by Falin; 2012-04-04 at 05:25 AM.

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    Default Re: Owls: The Owl [PEACH]

    Your fly mechanics look weak... they seem to be based on D&D, but in a game when everyone is a BIRD being able to fly a lot shouldn't be a big deal... I would at least remove the 10 minute per day limit. I know that is 100 rounds but still...

    Having to wait for 8th level... well if you call 8th level full adulthood then maybe, but since that is probably not the standard you are using...
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Owl [PEACH]

    It's true, in a game where everyone is a brid flight is no big deal, and I've noted that actually, in a game where everyone can fly just start with full flight. But the fact is that there allot more monsters that can't fly than those who can, and since it's easier to change to full flight on the fly than it is to change to partial flight I figured I'd start there.

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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Owl [PEACH]

    Quote Originally Posted by Falin View Post
    It's true, in a game where everyone is a brid flight is no big deal, and I've noted that actually, in a game where everyone can fly just start with full flight. But the fact is that there allot more monsters that can't fly than those who can, and since it's easier to change to full flight on the fly than it is to change to partial flight I figured I'd start there.
    Well, since you are probably going to have to recreate the monster manual from scratch to fit the setting I am not sure that argument applies... especially since you already re-scaled everything so owls count as medium.

    Unless you just want to add size categories to everything in the MM... dive-bombing a Large sized goblin is... a bit too weird for me. Breaks the feel of the setting unless you go to great lengths to make it work (in which case it could be, in fact, awesome).
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    Default Re: Owls: The Hawk [PEACH]

    Quote Originally Posted by Falin View Post
    A template would probably give me the effects I'm looking for or most of them at least. But it wouldn't really give me the flavor of a race. And the flavor, in my opinion, is just as important as the efffects. It gives players a place to start, tells them if their honerable crow paladin is an outcast and a rebel amoung their own kind illsuted to life amoung their peers, or just a crow, who's clever, and can smite evil.

    Now, I could just add that to the template enhanced crow, but if I'm going to do that, I may as well do all the work for several talking animals and tell my players that's what stuff I have for them. Plus I'm almost done with owls.
    Each race would have its own specific racial traits. You can get as detailed as you like: different birds would have different flight speeds and maneurverability for example.

    Personality is something that really should be left to player's choice. You want to give them as much flexibility as possible within the framework not define everything for them. If your players have a hard time with this concept, give them a list of 100 adjectives and tell them to pick 3.

    Here's a sample list that I got from the internet:

    Negative
    1. grumpy
    2. impatient
    3. stubborn
    4. critical
    5. judgmental
    6. introverted
    7. angry
    8. restless
    9. distracted
    10. complicated
    11. idealistic
    12. dissatisfied
    13. anxious
    14. nosy
    15. insecure
    16. doubtful
    17. nervous
    18. dependent
    19. lazy
    20. rude
    21. awkward
    22. naïve
    23. proud
    24. self-conscious
    25. pessimistic
    26. incompetent
    27. inflexible
    28. intolerant
    29. cowardly
    30. stupid
    31. bitchy
    32. vulgar
    33. lethargic
    34. hostile
    35. selfish
    36. unhappy
    37. cynical
    38. needy
    39. irrational
    40. childish
    41. passive
    42. unresponsive
    43. overdramatic
    44. predictable
    45. calculating
    46. indecisive
    47. anal
    48. fussy
    49. quixotic
    50. irritating

    Positive
    1. nice
    2. sweet
    3. kind
    4. talkative
    5. determined
    6. passionate
    7. helpful
    8. understanding
    9. sympathetic
    10. smart
    11. friendly
    12. diplomatic
    13. sentimental
    14. organised
    15. dependable
    16. tolerant
    17. modest
    18. romantic
    19. reflective
    20. confident
    21. knowledgeable
    22. trustworthy
    23. polite
    24. cheerful
    25. observant
    26. logical
    27. sensible
    28. engaging
    29. cute
    30. aware
    31. dedicated
    32. loving
    33. reciprocating
    34. meticulous
    35. naughty
    36. patient
    37. loyal
    38. fashionable
    39. encouraging
    40. simple
    41. compassionate
    42. forgiving
    43. admiring
    44. cheeky
    45. grateful
    46. silly
    47. faithful
    48. caring
    49. considerate
    50. apologetic

    Debby
    Last edited by Debihuman; 2011-06-19 at 08:25 AM.
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Owl [PEACH]

    Individual personality is not the same as racial tendencies, and I think the OP implicitly understood this. He was saying that if a player was playing a paladin of a given race that he should understand how being LG would affect how other members of his species would tend to view him.
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Owl [PEACH]

    Well, that's more replies than I've gotten in a single stretch.

    In order, you really wouldn't. The birds are scaled up to medium but you wouldn't have to change the sizes of any other creatures to match. There are actually a couple advantages to changing the sizes of the birds. First, you have to remember less numbers as a medium sized creature. And second by using the standard size you avoid having to face certain unfortunate truths about encounters for the smaller set. Insofar as they can't really participate in open combat with any sort of effectiveness, there’s a reason an owl is CR ¼. Now in a game where everyone and everything is also really small, there’s no problem. But you really would have to rewrite the Monster Manual to do that, that, or require your players to adopt a certain paly style that that comes at things like combat slantways. But that’s really fairly restrictive, especially if your players aren’t familiar with the rules, or if they just don’t like playing that way.

    And yes, the personality entries provide a baseline for the race for the players, and GM, to use to gauge how NPCs of that race would probably react to character or race X or outlook Y.

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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Owl [PEACH]

    I like the Royal Animal Template but it really should change Animal Type to Magical Beast Type with Augmented Animal as its Subtype. The Animal Type is limited to an Int 1 or 2 and the Royal Animal Template fails to take that into account. I don't mind bending the rules when necessary but this isn't necessary.

    Racial traits for animals can be taken from the Western collective of nursery rhymes, Aesop's Fables and old wives' tales for this sort of thing.

    Wikipedia has a collection of that sort of thing under Stereotypes of Animals. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotypes_of_animals. This is how you get the sly fox, the ominous crow, the wise owl, etc.

    Individual races can have their own bonuses and penalties in addition to the ones given through the template. How many animals do you want to create this for? Owls could get a +2 bonus to Wisdom, Foxes could have a +2 bonus to Intelligence, Bears could have a -2 penalty to Wisdom but a +2 bonus to Strength. Crows can cast augury once a week as a spell-like ability.

    In the animal kingdom there are predator, prey and parasite relationships and most creatures will fall into one of those categories. There isn't a lot of cooperation in the wild. On the other hand, you see a lot of competition. Do you want your world to mimic this or be in opposition to this?

    Debby
    P.E.A.C.H. Please Evaluate And Critique Honestly. Being nicer and kinder doesn't hurt either. Note I generally only critique 3.5 and Pathfinder material.
    Please, please, please when using non-core material, cite to the books. There are too many books to wade through to find the one with the feat, special ability or spell you use.
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    Default Re: [3.5] Owls: The Owl [PEACH]

    To racial traits, I'm taking my own conceptions of animals, and actual traits of animals, for bonuses. And, so far, I'm only planning to do seven the Crow, Hawk, Owl, Seagull, Sparrow, Sparrowhawk, and Wren. Though I have been kicking around doing all the animals in the world and putting them together in one place, you know, so I can drive myself insane. Fun.

    As to relations. You could go with the natural default of competition, but you don't really need to. If the animals we're talking about are sentient there’s really no reason they should only be concerned with survival, and therefore, cutting out any possible competition. But I’m not setting out to make an entire setting, though I could with the amount of source material out there. Honestly you should do with this stuff whatever the setting at hand requires.

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