Totem Savages - Expanded Shifters

Cross-posted from the WotC boards

I have a friend who wanted to play shifters, but we found the choices available in the MM limiting, especially considering the large amount of options available to Shifter in 3.5. I created this race to simulate all of the 3.5 traits. Later, when I found out about Shifters being in the PHB2, I reflavored my shifters to be totemic barbarians, so that this race would still be an option in my games after the PHB2 shifters became available. At the end of the PDF is a table showing the matchups.

Also, I was reluctant to give out natural weapons to begin with, due to how useful... or, rather, useLESS, it'd be at later level without enchanting available. So I made the Totems (as shown in the PDF below), which then evolved to their current form (as shown below). The name change was due to the existence of Totems as Druid implements. Also note that I allow natural weapons to be enchanted, if the player wants to.

Emblems - Braces, Crests, and Pendants
Emblems can be enchanted as magic weapons. However, instead of functioning as the magic weapon, they bestow their enchantment on whatever natural weapons the wearer has. However, the enchantment still only affects weapons of the appropriate group. For example, a character with a natural claw attack that counted as a light blade would not benefit from wearing a +3 Berserker Pendant, as the Berserker enhancement can only be applied to axes and heavy blades.

There are three types of Emblems. You can only wear one emblem at a time.

Braces occupy the arms slot. Braces can appear as leather bracers, a simple shirt, an jingling assortment of bracelets, a fabric wrist-wrap, an intricate tattoo on the forearms, or any other similar article worn on the forearm.

Crests occupy the Head slot. A crest could appear as a plumed helm, an elaborate feathered headdress, a totemic mask, a delicate tiara, an assortment of beads woven into the hair, or any similar item worn on the head.

Pendants occupy the Neck slot. A pendant could be a necklace of trophies, a brooch with a heraldic device adorning it, a tattered cloak, a cord choker, an iron collar, or any similar adornment worn around the neck.

Any comments?

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If you're not keeping these as shifters (but instead just 'totem savages'), then I'd recommend rebalancing a lot of those to remove the 'you must be bloodied to use this power' clause; it seems like a pretty awkward fit for most of them.

On a non-mechanical note, I was having some trouble reading that header font you're using

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Oh, I'm keeping as shifters. Still need to see the PHB2, after all.

I may just remove the bloodied clause entirely. That was a holdover from the MM version.

As for the font; Yeah, flat earth scribe can be difficult sometimes. Fits the theme I was going for, though.

EDIT: Wait, that's a custom font I made. I likes it, but it can be difficult.

Yeah, I really don't think the bloodied thing fits for a lot of those . . . like the ape that can only climb while bloodied? That's like an out-of-combat thing, but requires half hit points.

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Well, y'know, if I don't have the bloodied thing, I'd essentially be giving them the effect of the power for free, y'know? Being that it's an encounter power, and is a minor action in all but 4 cases (1 imm. reaction and 3 standard-action attacks), those that are minor would be used almost as soon as combat began. No reason not to, 'less you need that minor action for something else.

Maybe. Still considering, y'know.

Siberys said:

Well, y'know, if I don't have the bloodied thing, I'd essentially be giving them the effect of the power for free, y'know? Being that it's an encounter power, and is a minor action in all but 4 cases (1 imm. reaction and 3 standard-action attacks), those that are minor would be used almost as soon as combat began. No reason not to, 'less you need that minor action for something else.

Maybe. Still considering, y'know.

Click to expand...

Oh definitely. That's why I said they'd need to be rebalanced in order to remove that clause. Keep the concepts, but rework some of them, perhaps changing some to daily powers. Some might keep the 'while bloodied' thing, but I just don't think it works for all of them, but do what you think works for you.

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