LA +0 Thri-Keen

[MisterSaturnine]

Hi, it pains me to ask people if they can make something for me (for some reason it just feels like bad etiquette) but I've attempted to homebrew it and it really doesn't feel right.

I was just wondering if anyone could homebrew a LA +0 version of the Thri-Keen. I love the look and feel of the race, but I don't want an LA. I suppose LA +1 could do, but it's really not ideal.

Many, many thank yous to anyone who lends a hand.

[JackMage666]

A race with 4 arms cannot be done +0 LA. It just leads way too far into being broken.

[MisterSaturnine]

I suppose. Well, I can deal with 2-armed Thri-Keen. To be honest, I just like the desert dwelling bugman concept.

[MisterSaturnine]

Alright, I gave it another shot.

Howzabout--

Thri-Keen (2-armed LA +0 Variant)
+2 Dexterity, -4 Charisma
Medium Size
Darkvision out to 60 feet
Monstrous Humanoid: Not subject to spells that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
Base Land Speed: 30 ft.
Leap: Thri-Keen are natural jumpers. They have a +15 racial bonus on Jump checks.
Naturally Psionic: Thri-Keen gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
Favored Class: Psychic Warrior.

Thoughts?

[JackMage666]

OK - here's my shot then...

Lesser Thri-Kreen Racial Traits
* +2 Dex, -2 Int, -2 Cha: Lesser Thri-Kreens retain the agility of their better developed cousins, but are slightly more socially advanced.
*Monstrous Humanoid: Lesser Thri-Kreen are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
*Medium: As Medium creatures, Lesser Thri-Kreens have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
*Lesser Thri-Kreen base land speed is 30 ft.
*Darkvision out to 60 ft.
*+2 racial bonus against magic sleep effects.
*+1 Natural Armor. However, if wearing any metal armor, the exoskeleton is weakened, and thus natural armor is reduced to +0. Because of this, Lesser Thri-Kreens are rarely seen wearing armor heavier than Hide.
*Natural Attacks: Lesser Thri-Kreens have two natural claw attacks, which deal 1d3 points of damage.
*Leap (Ex): Lesser Thri-Kreens still retain some of their cousin's natural jumping ability, but it is highly reduced. They retain a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks.
*Weapon Familiarity: Lesser Thri-Kreen can treat gythkas and chatkchas (see page 15 of the EPH) as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
*Lesser Thri-Kreens have a +2 bonus on hide checks in arid regions.
Automatic Languages: Common, Thri-Kreen. Bonus LanguagesL Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, Halfling.
Favored Class: Ranger.

[JackMage666]

Alright, I gave it another shot.

Howzabout--

Thri-Keen (2-armed LA +0 Variant)
+2 Dexterity, -4 Charisma
Medium Size
Darkvision out to 60 feet
Monstrous Humanoid: Not subject to spells that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
Base Land Speed: 30 ft.
Leap: Thri-Keen are natural jumpers. They have a +15 racial bonus on Jump checks.
Naturally Psionic: Thri-Keen gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
Favored Class: Psychic Warrior.

Thoughts?

The Jump check is still too big. Even with the large Cha penalty. Because, Fighter don't need Cha, nor do Rangers, or Psychic Warriors, but Jump is almost always pretty nice.

[MisterSaturnine]

True, true. Thanks for all the assistance, by the way.

I don't want them to have an Intelligence decrease, as I don't like the idea of dumb bugs, so I think I'll keep the -4 to Charisma. Also, I'd rather have the sleep resistance, weapon familiarity, and bonus on hide checks taken away. You made a very good point with the decreased jump thing, and I think the +1 to Natural Armor ain't bad. I think I'll revise it to:


Lesser Thri-Kreen Racial Traits
* +2 Dex, -4 Cha: The Thri-Keen are quick but due to their strange appearance and perhaps equally odd social behavior, they have difficulty interacting with others.
*Monstrous Humanoid: Lesser Thri-Kreen are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
*Medium: As Medium creatures, Lesser Thri-Kreens have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
*Lesser Thri-Kreen base land speed is 30 ft.
*Darkvision out to 60 ft.
*+1 Natural Armor.
*Leap (Ex): Thri-Keen are natural jumpers. They have a +6 racial bonus on Jump checks.
Automatic Languages: Common, Thri-Kreen. Bonus Languages: Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, Halfling.
Favored Class: Ranger.

Is this better? I'm considered swapping the +2 to Dex for a +2 to Wisdom. This would serve a dual purpose--it makes them more naturally attuned to their surroundings--those antennae mean something now!--and it penalizes them more for low charisma. +2 Dex lends itself to hacky slashy types, but a Wisdom bonus screams cleric. That -4 to Charisma hurts clerics at least a bit more than fighters, rangers, etc. Additionally, would it make it too overpowered to make that Jump bonus +8?

[JackMage666]

I think +6 is a bit too much for a LA +0 build.

I want them to keep the -2 Int, because it makes no sense that the lesser version would be naturally smarter than their more advanced kin.

Also, the +2 Dex is because they normally get a +4 Dex. I reduced it to a more normal level. Taking that away kinda really takes away from the race to begin with.

Honestly, it looks more like you wanted to use the idea of the Thri-Kreen, but didn't actually want to use them... Perhaps you should homebrew up a race of bug-like people who live in the desert.

Edit: Also, natural armor, just by itself, warrants a +1 LA, unless extremely rebalanced (IE, Kobold). That's why my version of natural armor had a flaw, in that it couldn't be used in conjunction with metal armor.

[MisterSaturnine]

I suppose so. Well, thanks for the help and your time, anyway.