Kenku, Merrow, Sahuagin, Thri-Kreen, and Trow!

[Rechan]

The idea is a Kreen could hold up to four one-handed off-hand weapons, such as daggers. Any suggestions for wording?

• If normally one-handed and off-hand, can hold and use two in one hand

If that were the case, then couldn't the 'keen hold 8?

A dagger is 1/2 (so 2 per hand).
The Kreen has 4 hands.
2 x 4 = 8.

 

[Siberys]

No. Come at this from exception-based design. The Four Arms trait defines what happens when you have four arms. The assumption is two. So, relative to normal, a character with the four-arms trait can hold two daggers in each hand. Since a normal character has two hands, a character with the Four Arms trait can hold 4.

Is there a better way I can word this?

 

[Rechan]

The easiest way I can think of it is to say that a Tri-Keen can wield double the amount of usual hand-held equipment.

(Two double weapons/two handed weapons, two one-handed weapons and two off-handed weapons, four off hand weapons, four misc items, etc).

The real hairy area is when you consider, say, a Tri-Keen ranger, that treats one handed weapons as off-hand...

 

[Siberys]

That's actually not the hairy area, as it's intended. treats 2h as one-handed, then treats one-handed as off-hand. That's RAI, and, as it stands, RAW.

Wielding twice as many weapons as normal doesn't seem to get it right, either, though. Hrm. I'll be giving this some more thought.

 

[fissionessence]

If you're feeling cramped for space when writing that ability, consider something like:

Four Arms: As a Thri-Kreen, you have four arms as opposed to the usual two. See the 'Having Four Arms' sidebar for more information.

Having Four Arms [sidebar]: Now you have as much space as you need to describe exactly how you want stuff to work (instead of having it fit in that semi-small race writeup section).

Kind of like how 'Being Small' works.

~

 

[Siberys]

Either way, I only have a limited amount of room, but your thought did help me to figure out how to define it properly. Bullet points!

here's the new text;

Four Arms:
• You may treat two-handed and double weapons as one-handed weapons.
• You may treat one-handed weapons as having the off-hand property.
• If you would wield a one-handed weapon that normally has the off-hand trait, such as a dagger, you may wield one additional one-handed weapon that normally has the off-hand trait.
• If you are holding three or more weapons and make a weapon attack, you may choose which weapon to be attacking with. If that attack uses a main hand weapon and an off-hand weapon, you may choose which of the weapons you are wielding is which. To attack with all of your held weapons, see the Kreen Tempest feat.

The PDF has been updated. Link's the same.

 

[Paultimatum]

I like the races, but I think the four arms ability is almost certainly too powerful. It is hard to know what to do though, because a race with four arms really should be able to use/hold more things. Maybe a damage or attack penalty when you're using more weapons then usually allowed? This isn't quite right probably, because it's not a problem for wielding 4 off hand weapons, but I think the two two handed weapons could be a bit much, considering rangers doing 4d6 brutal 1 damage with twin strike or rangers/warlords/fighters doing all they could already do with reach.

 

[chronoplasm]

I think the four arms thing can be balanced if we adjust the rest of the race.
Change the Thri-Keen's ability bonuses to +2 Dex and +2 Int, but do not give it a bonus to any defenses.
Lower the speed to 6 squares instead of 7.

 

[fissionessence]

When describing how many hands it takes to hold stuff, etc., make sure to explain that it's using a two-arms point of view, and that having four arms isn't 'stacking' with the ability to hold more stuff. That could be confusing. For example:

"So, I have four arms, and I can hold a double weapon in one hand, so I can hold four double weapons?"

~

 

[Connorsrpg]

I read the races and liked them. Some very good rp flavour in there too.

A few things:
1. I am with others and still don't think the 4 arms is clear. I immediately had the same reaction as fissionessence above. I think it could be simply stated as they have two pairs of arms.

BTW there is not a balance issue here with each attack power stating how many attacks can be used. Being able to 'hold' more items is a small bonus and fine...when only one (or two depending upon power) can be used anyway.

2. Trows were the least appealing to me. Mini trolls ? I would rid them of the dnd regeneration type stuff and make them their own race. (As stated above). Also hard to see how they don't get Str bonus, but I can fully understand you wanting a larger race that is not focussed on same stat boosts.

3. Merrow certainly don't fit what they 'were' in dnd and I like the race as you have posted. Great art and a cool aquatic race, though, I still have trouble picturing them on land.

So apart from the Trow I was very impressed with these and would certainly allow a player to try them in my campaign. Thanks

C