Help with my homebrew races (v.1.1)

[BigCat]

Hi folks. Here's my first go at converting my homebrew races to 4e. The campaign has none of the Tolkien races, but it does have RAW humans. These four are elemental affinities (should be obvious which are which). Thanks for any help or comments!


Zamini
“Yes…yes, I think I can break that.”
-Kner, Zamini leader
They are tall, broad, shouldered, with brown, rough skin. Dark, short hair, and often bald. Typically reticent and slow to emotion. Orderly and diligent.

· +2 Str , +2 Wis
· 10% discount on costs for any crafting ritual
· Can resist 1 square of forced movement
· You gain proficiency in the falchion.
· +1 racial bonus to Fortitude defense.


SHAPE STONE Zamini Racial Power
You focus on the ground and in a blink it becomes putty for your mind to sculpt.
Encounter * (Special), Zone
Standard Action close burst 2
Effect: You create a zone of difficult terrain where you stand. You can pass through the zone unhindered and can end the effect as a minor action.

Aatashi
“I wonder how that works…”
-Ravid, Aatashi philosopher
They are wiry and physically weak with bright red hair and shining gold eyes. Talkative and perceptive. Known for their curiosity, they sometimes will pursue a new investigation with the slightest of clues.

· +2 Int, +2 Dex
· Skill bonuses: +1 History, Arcana, Religion, and Nature
· You have mastered and can cast the Comprehend Language Ritual Spell even if you don't have the Ritual Caster feat. If you have the Ritual Caster feat, you can cast the spell in half the time.
· May use light (as per wizard) at will
· Resist fire 5
· You gain proficiency in the glaive.
· You gain +1 racial bonus to your Will defense.


Sukuni
“Let’s all discuss this calmly.”
-Kesh, Aatashi Cleric of the Deep
They are powerfully built from lives at crushing depths, and often awkward on land. Dark skin ranging to black with long, thin hair. Their eyes are dark green-black, and are both unsettling and calming for surface dwellers to look upon. Most sentients find them to be genuinely relaxing to converse with.

· +2 Con, +2 Wis
· Low light vision
· Breathe underwater
· Swim speed 8
· Skill bonus: +4 to diplomacy
· You gain proficiency in the trident.
· You gain +1 bonus to your Will defense.


Tuguyani
“What are we waiting for?”
Trazen, Tugayani spellthief
Rail thin, with paper white skin and hair. They have trouble sitting still, fidgeting constantly, with slightly manic eyes. Impulsive and eager, they will try something new at the drop of a hat – and often abandon projects half-done.

· +2 Dex, +2 Cha
· Skill bonuses: +2 acrobatics, athletics
· You gain proficiency with flails.
· You gain +1 bonus to your Reflex defense.

Take to the Air Tugayani Racial Power
You commune with the air spirits, and the bear you aloft.
Encounter * Personal
Standard Action
Effect: Fly 6 squares.

 

[generalhenry]

+2 Int, +2 Dex

note, those are part of the same defense, with is inherently weak

 

[ff6shadow]

A bit weak, but similar to the eldarin, it has a +1 to another defense to compensate.

The discount on crafting is probably overpowered. The encounter powers don't have a duration and most of the skill bonuses are wierd. A +4 and 4 +1s? Additionally, I feel that your handing out weapon proficiencies and a bonus to a defense to much. Maybe I'm missing some peice of their history that helps these factors make sense, but I'll give it a shot myself to help.


[sblock=Zamini]Zamini

Ability Scores: +2 Str, +2 Con
Size: Medium
Speed: 5 Squares
Visionj: Low-light

Skills Bonuses- +2 Endurance, +2 Insight
Earthen Stability: When an attack forces you to move - either through a push, pull or slide - you may move 1 less than the effect specifies. An effect that would move you 1 doesn't move you at all unless you want to. In addition, if an effect would knoc you prone, you may make an immediate saving throw to avoid falling prone.
Earthen Resilence: You may add your Constitution modifier to the amount healed by your healing surges.

Shape Stone
Encounter * Racial, Zone
Using the magic inherent within you, you turn the ground around you into your ally.
Standard Action * Close Burst 2
Effect: The area in the burst becomes difficult terrain. You are unhindered by this terrain. This lasts untl the end of your next turn.
Sustain Minor: The zone persists.[/sblock]

[sblock=Aatashi]Aatashi

Ability Scores: +2 Int, +2 Dex
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 Squares
Visionj: Normal

Skills Bonuses- +2 Perception, +2 Arcana
Comprehend Languages: You have mastered the Comprehend Language ritual and are able to cast it even if you don't have the Ritual Caster feat. If you have the Ritual Caster feat, you may use this ritual 5 minutes instead of the usual 10.
Light: YOu may use the Light cantrip from the wizard class as an at-will power.
Fire Resistance: You have fire resistance 5 + 1/2 your level.

Inner Flames
Encounter * Racial, Fire
Using the magic inherent within you, you turn your inner passion into flames to scorch your foes.
Standard Action * Close Burst 1
Target: All enemies in the burst.
Attack: Strength +2 vs. Reflex, Dexterity +2 vs. Reflex, or Constitution +2 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Constitution modifier damage.
-----Increase to +4 bonus and 2d6 + Constitution modifier damage at 11th level, and +6 and 3d6 + Constitution modifier at 21st level.
Special: When you create your character, choose Strength, Dexteirty, or Constitution as the ability score you use when attacking with this power. This choice cannot be changed later.[/sblock]

[sblock=Sukuni]Sukuni

Ability Scores: +2 Con, +2 Cha
Size: Medium
Speed: 5 Squares, Swim 4 squares
Visionj: Low-light

Skills Bonuses- +2 Athetics, +2 Diplomacy
Underwater Breathing: You can breather normally underwater

Fluid Dodge
Encounter * Racial
Moving like water, you defly move out of the way of an incoming attack.
Immedite Interrupt * Personal
Effect: When an attac hits you, you force the attack to reroll the attack.[/sblock]

[sblock=Tuguyani]Tuguyani

Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Cha
Size: Medium
Speed: 7 Squares
Visionj: Normal

Skills Bonuses- +2 Acrobatics, +2 Athletics
Light Build: When you fall, the fall is considered to be 10ft shorter than it really was.
Mage Hand: You may use the Mage Hand cantrip at-will.

Tae to the Air
Encounter * Racial
Using the magic inherent within you, you lift yourself into the air.
Minor Action * Personal
Effect: You gain a seed of fly 7 until the end of this turn.[/sblock]

 

[BigCat]

Thanks for your help on this. The skills are a little weird because I'm trying to capture some 3.5 details: Aatashi used to get +2 to all knowledge checks. The Zamini used to get a bonus to craft skills, but now that's down the tubes. I'm not sure how to replicate that outside the craft ritual.

And does everyone need an encounter power? Humans and half-elves don't get anything, do they?

 

[ff6shadow]

It would be easier to replicate the wierder abilities with some sort of racial feat.

[sblock]Aatashi Knowledge (Heroic)
Prerequisites:Int 13, Aatashi
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to History, Religion, Nature, and Dungeoneering.


Zamini Crafting (Heroic)
Prerequisite: Zamini, Level 4, Int 13
Benefit: You have mastered the Enchant Magic Item Ritual and the Brew Potion Ritual. You may use these without having the Ritual Caster Feat.[/sblock]

I didn't have the fluff for the races to build appropriate racial powers besides the elemental theme. But every race has a racial power or close to it. The half-elf encounter power is a power chosen from another classes at-will powers, which can create some excellent synergy. The dwarf's is his ability to use his second wind as a swift action. A human's racial power is a third at-will power.

Not every racial power has to be an encounter power, since there are some at-will powers in the monster manual races, but they should have some kind of ability.