Race Ideas for Phoelarch from MM3?

Chaoszero · 28th February 2009, 01:24 PM

In the 3.5 MM3, there was a remarkable race called the Phoelarch that always made my imagination soar. I'm trying to figure how to make in into 4E, but one of the things that bugging me is their fire-y nature.

It seems natural to give them fire resistance, but wouldn't that cheapen the tiefling somehow? I think the resistance for the phoelarch would be better as a racial feat.

This is what I have so far:

Ability Scores: +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common, Primordial
Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 Religion

I haven't finished the racial power, but its going to be a 1/e Close Burst of Fire dealing damage that has yet to be set.

Does anyone who remembers this race/monster have any ideas to help me along?

Mentat55 · 28th February 2009, 07:15 PM

I think the racial power is where you can evoke the flavor of the phoelarch. In 3.5e, their defining feature is dying in a burst of flames, leaving behind an egg that hatches into a phoera. What if the racial power was a free action, triggered when the phoelarch is reduce to 0 hit points? The phoelarch's body is consumed by flame, and a small flaming bird (the phoera) rises from the ashes, does some sort of flyby attack/retributive strike/burst of fire, flies some short distance, and then the phoelarch reappears, having spent a healing surge and regained hit points?

Would that be too situational of a racial power, having it pop up only when the phoelarch is knocked unconscious? Maybe make it a daily, on top of the phoelarch's racial ability? Or why not a racial daily, is there any reason such a thing should not exist?

Also, I don't think giving the phoelarch resist fire really steps on the tiefling's toes. The tiefling has other things going for it.

Chaoszero · 2nd March 2009, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Would that be too situational of a racial power, having it pop up only when the phoelarch is knocked unconscious?

Yes, that would be too situational. The whole turning into a phoera thing is purely flavor in a 4E game world. A racial power is something that normally needs to be called on whenever the player needs it (in the form of a 1/e).

Mentat55 · 2nd March 2009, 08:58 AM

Then how about when the phoelarch spends a healing surge, once per encounter as a free action, something cool happens, like the phoelarch manifests a phoera and blasts some enemies? I think it would be nice to tie the power into the phoenix/reincarnation theme of the phoelarch. But that's just a thought.

Or perhaps it could be tied to the second wind action.

Warrior147 · 11th August 2009, 07:43 PM

Your campaign setting's names are so bad. You just gave different races different real life names.

**Rel** · 12th August 2009, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior147

Your campaign setting's names are so bad. You just gave different races different real life names.

If you can't say something nice then you're welcome to keep it to yourself.

Alisair Longreach · 13th August 2009, 09:31 AM

The Phoelarch and Phoera have 4E stats in Monster Manual 2. There is a Phoelarch Mage and a Phoelarch Warrior.

Chaoszero · 22nd August 2009, 12:29 AM

Quote:

The Phoelarch and Phoera have 4E stats in Monster Manual 2. There is a Phoelarch Mage and a Phoelarch Warrior.

They sure are in there! I am happy to see them as monsters, but the monster stats unfortunately don't lend themselves well to a player race. I was really hoping to see a phoelarch template in the back.

Does anyone have a suggestion in how to transfer these monster stats into a player race?