D&D 5E UA Warforged vs. Keith Baker's Warforged

shidaku said:

Poison resistance really depends on how you conceptualize Warforged design and poison. Technically poison should have no effect on a robot unless you were injecting sufficient amounts of it to replace a sizable portion of the existing mechanical fluids in the robot. It also depends on if you think a Warforged has "tubes" like veins carrying fluids to parts of the mechanical body, ie: is a Warforged an Android (seemingly humanoid replicant) or a Robot (a machine with no internal similarity to humans)?

So really, I can see the poison thing going either way.

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Well, IIRC according to the original description of warforged, they do have a kind of circulatory system and living components such as tendons made from livewood. If a person's version of warforged had such an anatomy, it would stand to reason poison might be somewhat effective, but not to the extent of the fleshy races, which is why the ability makes sense to me.

Additiomally, warforged don't need to eat, but can take advantage of imbibing potions or eating magical foods. If they had no internal "organs," or at least a rudimentary stomach or circulatory system to carry the magical potion through the body, I don't see them being able to benefit as they do. Unless of course you go "because magic," which I feel is generally a valid response.

Hawk Diesel said:

Well, IIRC according to the original description of warforged, they do have a kind of circulatory system and living components such as tendons made from livewood. If a person's version of warforged had such an anatomy, it would stand to reason poison might be somewhat effective, but not to the extent of the fleshy races, which is why the ability makes sense to me.

Additiomally, warforged don't need to eat, but can take advantage of imbibing potions or eating magical foods. If they had no internal "organs," or at least a rudimentary stomach or circulatory system to carry the magical potion through the body, I don't see them being able to benefit as they do. Unless of course you go "because magic," which I feel is generally a valid response.

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Yes, in the novels they definitely have a circulatory system. Honestly, the only metal on them is their armor, usually. Inside tends to be organic.

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CapnZapp said:

@ccs, @mellored, @gyor and @Jester David - are you seing something I missed? Are you running Integrated Armor differently than I?

Or perhaps you've made the same mistake as Mr Baker, thinking the ability would be more useful than it really is? Because to me, that ability is USELESS.

The only standard character that gets any use out of it is the Rogue (and possibly a high-Dex Wizard), and then only a 45 gp savings. Everyone else gets better AC out of another solution that does not stack with this.

(by the way, if you are running it so the Warforged can wear armor on top of his intergrated armor, then you are running it as if the ability read simply "+2 AC".)

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It's a difference in other abilities. +1 armour gets the point across (you're made of metal) but means that's all there is to the race. It can't do much else. It's a static bonus that gets written down and forgotten. It's also fairly potent, as high AC characters are hard enough to hit already.
Self-stabilizing is something that comes up more often and is different. But to justify that the AC bonus needs to be ticked down slightly. (I'd prefer something else... but *shrug*). Making it so your unarmoured AC is 12 not 10 is fine and works with the concept. Plus it makes sense that the AC of the warforged skin wouldn't "stack" with heavy plate armour.

Horwath said:

OK, you can add brestplate to that. Not talking about magic variants.

but the rest are filler armour for militia as they are cheap.

Every adventurer will buy himself the best money can buy. That is plate and studded leather, brestplate to a degree.

Either you have best stealth armour or best armour.

Too bad that medium armour is still unwanted basterd child of light and heavy armour.

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Believe me, you notice the fact that plate isn't cheap when you start at 1st level.

CapnZapp said:

[MENTION=6803664]ccs[/MENTION], [MENTION=6801209]mellored[/MENTION], [MENTION=6670153]gyor[/MENTION] and [MENTION=37579]Jester David[/MENTION] - are you seing something I missed? Are you running Integrated Armor differently than I?

Or perhaps you've made the same mistake as Mr Baker, thinking the ability would be more useful than it really is? Because to me, that ability is USELESS.

The only standard character that gets any use out of it is the Rogue (and possibly a high-Dex Wizard), and then only a 45 gp savings. Everyone else gets better AC out of another solution that does not stack with this.

(by the way, if you are running it so the Warforged can wear armor on top of his intergrated armor, then you are running it as if the ability read simply "+2 AC".)

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Yea, it's useless. But so is elven/dwarven weapon proficiency. It's there as flavor. Which is why you get +2 con and death save bonus instead of +1 con and +1AC.

The UA one is more powerful. The KB is more balanced and flavorful.

UA is simple though. Some people would appreciate that.

Perhaps just have all 3.

Warforged
+1 con
12+Dex AC
Don't eat or breath.

Scout
+1dex, +1con
Small
40 movement

Tank
+1 con
+1 AC

Sentinel
+1str, +1con
Resist poision
Death saving throw bonus.

Wow, a lot of people homebrewing here.

Just wanted to thank the OP for the link. I'd never heard of Mr. Baker's take on the Warforged, it's given me a few ideas

Hawk Diesel said:

I tried my hand at adjusting the warforged race. Here's what I came up with:

<snip>

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This is a lot more thematically close to how I think of warforged. Subrace as the different kinds of base body-types fits pretty well.

mellored said:

Yea, it's useless. But so is elven/dwarven weapon proficiency. It's there as flavor. Which is why you get +2 con and death save bonus instead of +1 con and +1AC.

The UA one is more powerful. The KB is more balanced and flavorful.

UA is simple though. Some people would appreciate that.

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I wouldn't say useless, just more useful for different players. My Mountain Dwarf Gold Dragon Sorcerer makes use of both Medium armor and Dwarven weapon proficiency. Sure, he throws around the bigger spells most the time, but occasionally likes to face things as a dwarf and bang it on the head with his War hammer infused with Green flame and both STR and CHR damage.

I'm not that incredibly concerned with balance but I always loved the theme around warforged. I don't want to lose the mental image I had for them in 3rd edition, and a lot of the 4e and 5e mechanics done so-far just feel like compromises. I know everyone is homebrewing here, but I think this is fairly clean while covering at least the considerations I have, including allowing it to work with any class.

Warforged
Ability Score Increase. Your Constituation score increases by 2.
Age. A warforged is fully developed at creation and the maximum age for a warforged is not known.
Size. Warforged size can vary. (see subrace)
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Living Construct. Even though you were constructed, you are a living creature. You are immune to disease. You do not need to eat or breathe, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish. Instead of sleeping, you enter an inactive state for 4 hours each day. You do not dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.
Warforged Resiliance. You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned and have resistance to poison damage. You have advantage on death saving throws.
Warforged Components. You can use specially designed warforged components that are compatible with a warforged body.
Composite Armor. Most warforged have composite plating. If you are not proficient in your composite plating you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can’t cast spells. (see subrace)
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

Subraces

Hoplite
Hoplites were by-far the most common warforged soldiers during the last war.

Ability Score Increase. One of your Strength or Dexterity scores increases by 1.
Size. Hoplite warforged are usually 5 to 6 feet tall and generally broader than humans. Your size is Medium.
Hoplite Body. Hoplite's are constructed with medium composite plating and are always considered to be wearing this medium armor. Your Armor Class equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier (max 2) + half of your proficiency bonus. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Myrmidon
Myrmidons were the heavy infantry and shock troopers of the warforged constructed during the last war.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Size. Myrmidon warforged are usually 6 feet tall or taller and broader and heavier than humans. Your size is Medium.
Myrmidon Body. Myrmidon's are constructed with heavy composite plating and are always considered to be wearing this heavy armor. Your Armor Class equals 16 + half of your proficiency bonus. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Peltast
Peltasts are smaller and lighter than most other warforged and often specialized in scouting, spying, or skirmishing.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Size. Peltast warforged tend to be about 3 to 4 feet tall and weigh about 80 pounds. Your size is small.
Peltast Body. Peltast's are constructed with light composite plating and are always considered to be wearing this light armor. Your Armor Class equals 11 + your Dexterity modifier + half of your proficiency bonus. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Trierarch
Trierarch warforged were much more rare, often created for much more unique rolls than other warforged. Even more rarely Trierarchs were Hoplites who removed their own composite plating. Created trierarchs may have been put in command of other warforged or tasked with duties such as being a servant, craftsman, or even diplomat. Converted trierarchs may have felt a need to atone or break away from the bonds of their construction.

Ability Score Increase. Two ability scores of your choice other than Constitution increase by 1.
Size. Trierarch warforged are usually 5 to 6 feet tall with frames similar to humans. Your size is Medium.
Trierarch Body. Trierarch's are constructed without additional composite plating, cannot wear armor, and are considered to be unarmored.
Raison D'être. You gain proficiency in one skill or tool of your choice. If you choose a tool, you may start with one as part of your starting equipment.

Feats

Mithral Body
Prerequisite: Hoplite warforged, medium armor proficiency.

Your plating no longer imposes disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

You can add 3, rather than 2, to your AC if you have a Dexterity of 16 or higher.

Adamantine Body
Prerequisite: Myrmidon warforged, heavy armor proficiency.

Increase your Strength score by 1, to a maximum of 20.

Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take from non magical weapons is reduced by 3.

Bronzewood Body
Prerequisite: Trierarch warforged.

Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.

Your AC can't be less than 16.

Flametouched Body
Prerequisite: Warforged.

Increase one of your Charisma or Wisdom scores by 1, to a maximum of 20.

Your body can act as your spellcasting focus or holy symbol.

You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands.

Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.