Player Wants to Play a Hawk

[Tequila Sunrise]

I'm trying to pick my jaw up off the floor here. I told my player that I wouldn't mind home brewing a race for him. But when he said he wants to play a "hawk species," I thought he meant "anthropomorphic hawk-man with limited/no flight," which he has played before.

But he just sent me his proposed character sheet, and it's an actual talking hawk who can fly faster than land-lubbers can move. Whenever he wants, naturally.

Now all the PCs in this game have flying mounts, so I occasionally throw aerial battles into our game. But more often, battles take place where mounts can't go, so I don't feel right about giving one character unconditional flight.

This player isn't a power gamer, but I think he might be trying to avoid needing a flying mount -- the campaign takes place in a water world -- which is weird, because the flying mounts were originally his idea. His last character was a centaur with magic horseshoes that allowed limited flight.

Anyway, this is just me venting a little, so thanks for reading along!

 

[Madeiner]

Ask him if the reason he wants to play is unconditioned flight.

If yes, and it bothers you, don't allow it.
If not, put limit on his flight that are the same as the flying mount. Invent something like oxygen fatigue or air pressure.

 

[Oryan77]

Why do you need to vent about this? Just tell him no.

It sounds like an extremely boring character to me. Both to play as and to DM.

 

[Crothian]

Tell him he'll have a tough time with that 2 intelligence.

 

[On Puget Sound]

unlimited flight, but can't wield weapons, can barely manipulate objects, carries less than 20 lbs, no ranged attacks and no significant melee attacks? And can't interact with most NPCs without a reaction of either "wow, I gotta stop drinking" or " a talking bird... I'll be rich!"?

Well, I'm guessing the player is choosing a spellcaster or other class that ameliorates this uselessness somehow, but it should still be easy enough to find enough disadvantages to balance against flight. If you're in a 3.5/ PF type system, applying the Awakened Animal template to a hawk and giving it a +1 level adjustment should be sufficient.

 

[OnlineDM]

And how will he carry any gear?

 

[FireLance]

Let him play a hawk, but stipulate that he can't leave his wizard behind.

That way, you get the classic wizard/familiar combo, but from the perspective of the familiar.

 

[steeldragons]

Let him play a hawk, but stipulate that he can't leave his wizard behind.

That way, you get the classic wizard/familiar combo, but from the perspective of the familiar.

REALLY like this solution...Can't XP you yet. But great call.

--SD

 

[jonesy]

What edition are you playing? 4E has the Eagleborn race you could take a look at for ideas.

Or how about a were-eagle? Being a lycanthrope might balance it out somewhat.

Edit: ahem, or, you know, a were-hawk.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Why do you need to vent about this? Just tell him no.

It's one of those days. We would actually be gaming today, if it weren't for this ***** Irene.

And I guess this player is a handful, in his own way.

Tell him he'll have a tough time with that 2 intelligence.

Haha. Telling him this might be funny with someone else, but he'd probably just say "Oops, sorry I was so careless" with perfect sincerity, and then add a specification of human intelligence on his CS. (This is the guy who assumes the literal and ugly definition when someone mentions 'immortality,' unless agelessness is specified.)

unlimited flight, but can't wield weapons, can barely manipulate objects, carries less than 20 lbs, no ranged attacks and no significant melee attacks? And can't interact with most NPCs without a reaction of either "wow, I gotta stop drinking" or " a talking bird... I'll be rich!"?

Oh, I forgot to mention; he's a psionic hawk. As in, a psion perfectly capable of playing his tricks from the air.

What edition are you playing? 4E has the Eagleborn race you could take a look at for ideas.

Or how about a were-eagle? Being a lycanthrope might balance it out somewhat.

Edit: ahem, or, you know, a were-hawk.

We're playing 4e. I'm guessing the eagleborn is a dragon mag article? Do you happen to know which issue? (We don't do DDI.)

Before he sent me this proposed CS, I was thinking of just stealing the air genasi's 1/encounter flight power.