Unicorn- Player Race

[SlimeGuru42]

So I've done my first bit of 4th edition homebrewing and I thought I'd share it here. One of my players has always wanted to play a unicorn, but there was never really a good way of making it happen without the crippling drawback of ECL. After a few days with the books I've come up with this, let me know what you think.

Unicorn
+2 Strength, +2 Charisma
Size: Medium
Speed: 7 squares
Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, Elven
Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Heal
Fey Origin: Unicorns are magical beings native to the Feywild and are considered fey creatures.
Nature's Blessing: Unicorns gain skill training in Nature or Heal for free.
Pure Mind: You gain a +1 racial bonus to your Will defense
Healing Horn: You can use healing horn as an encounter power. (See Below)
Change Shape: You can assume an alternate form as an at-will power. (See Below)

Healing Horn- Unicorn Racial Power
Your horn glows softly and wounds close with a touch.
Encounter * Healing
Minor Action Melee
Effect: Your or one ally can spend a healing surge or make a saving throw against one effect that a saving throw can end.

Change Shape- Unicorn Racial Power
With a sound like the rustling of leaves, your form dissolves into that of a fair-skinned, white haired, elf-like creature.
At-Will * Polymorph
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You can alter your physical form to take the shape of a medium humanoid. Each unicorn has a unique humanoid form that may not be changed once chosen. You retain your horn in your alternate form. Your stats do not change while in either form. While in unicorn form, any equipment you wear melds into you and continues to function. Held items (such as weapons or implements) may only be used in humanoid form. This power lasts indefinitely and switching back is a minor action.

Racial Feats:
Heroic Tier
Radiant Horn- Prerequisite: Unicorn, Healing horn power
Benefit: Your Healing Horn power becomes a close burst 5 that can affect one target.

Paragon Tier
Warding Presence- Prerequisite: Unicorn
Benefit: You and all allies within five squares gain a +1 bonus to saving throws.

Benevolent Horn- Prerequisite: Unicorn, Healing horn power, Radiant Horn
Benefit: The target of your Healing horn power may make a saving throw and spend a healing surge.

Epic Tier
Divine Horn- Prerequisite: Unicorn, Healing horn power, Radiant Horn, Benevolent Horn
Benefit: The target of your Healing horn may make a saving throw against all effects that a saving throw can end and gains temporary hit points equal to your level.

I'm thinking of doing a racial paragon path called something like Forest Lord that gives them some controller/leader type powers. I'm thinking a charm, an entangle, and perhaps the short-range allies-only group teleport that the dusk unicorn has.

 

[generalhenry]

Glancing at the title, my first though was no way. But the only thing that seems really awkward is having unicorn form medium. Nice work.

Not that I'm saying you should make them large in unicorn form, there are good reasons not too, just that it weirds me out a bit.

I'd make healing horn a copy of lay on hands, mostly for RP reasons.

Unicorn form needs a basic attack. A 1d8 gore attack or the like with a +2 proficiency bonus. AKA not enough to make it good for combat, but enough to make sure it's not completely worthless.

The one last thing is the str, it doesn't feel quite right to me. Perhaps +dex +cha?

 

[mattdm]

Not that I'm saying you should make them large in unicorn form, there are good reasons not too, just that it weirds me out a bit.

Think of them like small deer unicorn, not big charger warhorse unicorn. Which makes Dex instead of Str make sense, really.

There probably needs to be some mention of the rule that quadrupeds can carry 25% more than bipeds. And even though there don't seem to be 4E rules that make four-legged creatures harder to knock down than bipeds, it seems like maybe there oughta be. "Surefooted", or something.

Note also that the Eladrin gets a +1 to Will defense to compensate for having its +2 abilities both apply to Reflex. And human gets +1 to everything partially to compensate for only having one +2. That means giving +1 to Will defenses, while thematically appropriate, is rather strong. Maybe make that part of a racial feat?

 

[generalhenry]

Think of them like small deer unicorn, not big charger warhorse unicorn.

a paragon tier feat making them large in unicorn form might work.

 

[VBMEW-01]

This is utterly awesome and I plan to use it (maybe with MalcolmN's Druid) The only thing (that is unmentioned) that I would say is that you need to make reference of their natural attacks while in Unicorn form as they would likely be weaker, or different, than th MM.

Great effort

 

[SlimeGuru42]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, I'm really appreciative.

My reasoning for them being medium is the same as the bugbear and minotaur. I didn't include a height/weight chart, but I was imagining them at the very upper echelons of medium size while in unicorn form. Their humanoid form would be closer to elf/human proportions. I chose strength and charisma because those are the monster manual unicorn's highest stats. I could see it swinging either way, but I wanted them to make good clerics, paladins, and warlords

I copied the healing horn ability straight from the monster manual unicorn. I thought about having them replicate healing word or lay on hands, but I thought it might be more fun for the player if it was different. Also, if I drop the +1 will defense what would you recommend replacing it with, if anything?

I'm thinking of working up two paragon paths, one for leaders and one for defenders. The defender path would include size increase in unicorn form and a charge attack + knockdown most likely. I had planned on their natural attacks just using the 1d4 unarmed strike damage, but I thought about perhaps letting them take a feat to strengthen their horn into a (+2?) +3 1d8 weapon. Perhaps it could count as a light blade and then a 1d10 heavy blade if you took the defender paragon path. Perhaps you can enchant your horn as a magic weapon.

I didn't want to make the alternate form ability very complex, it was mostly cosmetic in a kind of "The last Unicorn" way. Generally, the player would be running around as a pale girl with a unicorn horn. It's supposed to be that kind of "feel good" magic.

How's this look?

Strengthened Horn
Prerequisite: Unicorn, 13 strength
Benefit: While in unicorn form you have a natural weapon with a +3 (+2?) proficiency that does 1d8 damage (Might count as a light blade or spear?). You may enchant your horn as a magic weapon.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

So I've done my first bit of 4th edition homebrewing and I thought I'd share it here. One of my players has always wanted to play a unicorn, but there was never really a good way of making it happen without the crippling drawback of ECL. After a few days with the books I've come up with this, let me know what you think.

I think its balanced and elegant.

ps i love last unicorn too ;p

 

[generalhenry]

How's this look?

Strengthened Horn
Prerequisite: Unicorn, 13 strength
Benefit: While in unicorn form you have a natural weapon with a +3 (+2?) proficiency that does 1d8 damage (Might count as a light blade or spear?). You may enchant your horn as a magic weapon.

as a feat I's say +3 proficiency and I'd do it as a spear.

(light blade implies sneak attacks)

 

[malcolm_n]

ooh, that'd be cool. a unicorn rogue... hmm, maybe a black unicorn in that case?

great race btw; totally unexpected