[Not Suitable For Work] Build a Tiny Race

[EP]

Work is boring. Gaming is fun. Work should be more like gaming.

Not Suitable For Work is a new addition to Combat Advantage, the free 4e series of PDFs from Emerald Press PDF Publishing. Every month will have a theme to which any number of brainstorming exercises will be made. Each week or so, we will post a new thread for 4e material utilizing that theme and everyone is open to submit their concepts on EN World. The trick to this game is that you must rely on your memory of the game and cannot use any supplements, core rulebooks, or online references - simply use your innate knowledge of the game to create new material on the fly. Accuracy is not immediately required - these are brainstorms for new ideas, concepts, and add-ons to 4e. Throw in your ideas, no matter how crazy they are because you never know what they may lead to.

NSFW is not a contest and is designed solely as a recreational design exercise for those of you stuck at work, school, or anywhere else on your lunch breaks with nothing to do. Waiting for that report to come back from management? Homework? Eww. Check out the theme and post your ideas for this week’s exercise. There’s no voting, no deadlines, or bad ideas. It’s all about having a little bit of fun while the boss isn’t looking. Enough talk!

Build A Tiny Race​

Size has always run the full gamut in fantasy since the first bedtime story was told thousands of years ago. Giants, dwarves, hobbits, and pixies are the finest examples of different sizes in fantasy adventures, yet the smallest characters ever have been left to the side. Not any more!

This month we’re going to create a tiny player character race and for that we will need to look at how sizes work in 4e and develop material to allow a tiny-sized character to keep pace with any human, dragonborn, or dwarf in the party. Each stage of our exercise will involve open submissions posted on the forums of EN World or the Emerald Press PDF Publishing Facebook page to be put to a vote before continuing on to the next stage. By month’s end, we will have a complete race of tiny creatures to mark down on your character sheet.

Exercise #1: Tiny adventurers have to keep up with their larger counterparts (and even larger enemies). Speed, space, and reach are the three biggest issues for a tiny character to overcome so we're going to tackle speed first. Submit a means of movement for a tiny character allowing him or her to keep up with Small, Medium, or larger creatures. This alternate method can be realistic or magical and can provide a fly, climb, or other speed rating.

Next, provide a racial power using this movement as a move action. It can be an attack or utility power.

Post your ideas below. Remember these are exercises built for enjoyment and mental exercise of the game. Accuracy is not required on every little detail and some mistakes are forgiveable. (See?) If you'd like to post a revised version of your entry, just be sure to type in which version under Reason for Edits. If you want to post more than one entry, go crazy. It's all just in the name of having fun while you're not supposed to.

 

[malcolm_n]

I want to start by saying I have really enjoyed these as you post them. That said, here is my submission.

I'm gonna keep mine basic, in that I don't want to have to explain that the race has wings, but cannot fly until paragon tier, etc. I decided to model the movement after dwarves, but I explained it so it doesn't immediately have to be a tough/strong/durable race. I just work on the assumption that tinier armor is going to weigh much less to start, so they just balance it to themselves to help keep things going.

Tiny Creature A
Movement 5; TCA's are particularly swift for their tiny size, but cannot quite keep up with larger races unless said races are in heavier armor.

Armored Momentum: When wearing heavy armor, TCA's do not reduce their speed. The smaller armor size removes most of the weight, and the rest is balanced well across the race's body.

For the racial power, I decided to go with Utility-based. This will open up more creative space for the race to get more traits on average, or even have feats (like the minotaur) which key off the racial power. My concept was the race can get away with dodging around foes for a short time during combat because of its unusual size. It basically comes down to knowing when that sword would swing at a bigger creature and getting out of the way by relying on your tiny size.

Quick Step TCA Racial Power
Your tiny size adds grace at a moment where there may not otherwise be any.
Encounter
Free Action Personal
Effect: Until the end of your next turn, you can shift 1 square before, during, or after you take a move action. While the effect lasts, you can do this once per move action.

 

[Starfox]

Reading the requitements again, I see I'm cheating - since I'm retired, I can't do this from work, and thi's not a spur-of the moment creation. Doh.

I've not been in a competition like this earlier, but since I do have a tiny class that I'd love people to see, I'll rise to the challenge.

Mine uses a classic fantasy trope: the tiny winged fairy. I call it the Aerie.

Speed: 2, Fly 5 (Hover, Altitude limit 2)

This lets the Aerie fly, but keeps it within reach of medium or larger melee opponents.

Power Flight

Prerequisite: Aerie

Benefit: you gain the use of the aerie power flight feat power.

Aerie Power Flight Aerie Feat Power
Wings buzzing, you rise above your normal altitude limit.
Encounter
Move Action Personal
You take a normal flying move and ignore the altitude limit on flight until the end of your turn. If you end your turn at too high an altitude, you float gently to the ground.

This is a feat power because their racial power is something else. I already have some other feats keying of these abilities at higher levels.

 

[Neubert]

The race is obviously riding a special snail breed that are faster than usual snails.

Racial power:
Wall Climb (daily)
Benefit: The [race] gains a climb speed equal to its movement speed for the rest of the encounter (or 5 minutes while out of combat). This power can only be used while mounted on its steed.

 

[Sanglorian]

The idea of a tiny race using a mount reminds me of the Gallievespians from His Dark Materials.

 

[EP]

Ah, now this is something to wake up to on your first day of vacation.

malcolm_n: Thanks for the compliments and tell your friends and enemies about us. Sticking with the simplest method is, honestly, one I never thought of. They're small and yeah, their armor will be crazy light. I like picturing a tiny fighter zipping around the battlefield slicing at orcs. With that in mind, your little guys will need some crazy jumping ability and that could be something incorporated into one of the race's feature - I think it would be a bit much to make an Athletics check every round and so jumping could be worked into the race's attack powers somehow. That would be fun to work out and I'd like to see what you can come up with.

Starfox: When you're retired, you're allowed to cheat. (At least that's what my parents say and they're too retired to argue with.) I like that name for a tiny race. I know I was inspired by the windlings from Earthdawn and have always thought they were the one player race to break the mould. I would even say that they can float back down to their normal altitude range at the end of their turn and remain hovering from there. Good work.

Neubert: Imagine a tiny adventurer charging into battle riding a snail covered in armor with spears strapped to its side and pouches of tiny equipment strapped to the shell. Very nice idea.

 

[Neubert]

The idea of a tiny race using a mount reminds me of the Gallievespians from His Dark Materials.

When I thought of this, I was going for a "Neverending Story" feel .

 

[malcolm_n]

I totally got the never ending story vibe from it too.

EP, would you like me to write anything out like that for now, or wait for a subsequent round?

Yeah, that was one of the major things I considered with this race. Regardless of their tiny size, they have the potential to be as strong (8-20 at first level) as any other race. With no racial penalties to stats in 4e, a 10 strength on this tiny race equals a 10 strength on any other race, so with their strength being proportional and their gear being naturally lighter, it stands to reason that they just really aren't as affected by the weight. The only negative they get for their tiny size is really lifting capacity, which doesn't figure worn armor anyway.

 

[EP]

I totally got the never ending story vibe from it too.

EP, would you like me to write anything out like that for now, or wait for a subsequent round?

Yeah, that was one of the major things I considered with this race. Regardless of their tiny size, they have the potential to be as strong (8-20 at first level) as any other race. With no racial penalties to stats in 4e, a 10 strength on this tiny race equals a 10 strength on any other race, so with their strength being proportional and their gear being naturally lighter, it stands to reason that they just really aren't as affected by the weight. The only negative they get for their tiny size is really lifting capacity, which doesn't figure worn armor anyway.

True, but the size of their weapons will limit the amount of damage they can do. If small characters cannot wield two-handed weapons and require two hands for a versatile one, then a tiny character would likely only be able to handle a one-handed weapon with two hands. That limits shields, off-hand weapons for rangers, and it's likely they would have invented their own tiny one-handed weapons maxed out to inflict 1d4. Even with normal modifiers like every other race, there is the potential for combat to be tricky.

I'm thinking about leaving damage as the third or final step, so hang on to ideas for now. But developing something for how tiny characters can attack a medium one would still apply to this exercise, I'd say. If it happens to coincide with an enhanced damage idea, then so be it.

 

[Starfox]

True, but the size of their weapons will limit the amount of damage they can do.

Sounds like something that will come up in a later chapter of this challenge.