Elphilm
Explorer
Hi there!
Siberys's recent Kenku conversion made me wonder how viable the aarakocra would be in 4th Edition. Here are some of my thoughts.
I wanted the race to have a form of flight from the beginning, and to balance it out some penalties were in order. However, I've only played in two 1st-level sessions of 4E so far, so I'm hardly in the position to judge how valuable the ability to fly really is. Comments and suggestions are welcome!
First, the penalties. The aarakocra ability score bonuses modify the same defenses (AC and Reflex), and unlike for example the eladrin, aarakocra receive no additional defense bonuses. Furthermore, they suffer penalties to their base land speed and the ability to use weapons as if they were Small characters. Aarakocra move awkwardly on the ground, and their clawlike hands are ill-equipped to hold large weaponry.
The aarakocra ability to fly is mostly a form of gliding, and not really a viable option in enclosed spaces. Due to their size, aarakocra are considerably heavy for avians. To reflect this, taking into the air costs a standard action for an aarakocra, and she has to keep spending standard actions to remain in the air on her own. (In addition, as per the flying rules, an aarakocra has to move at least 2 squares per turn or she crashes.) However, if an aarakocra is out-of-doors and sufficiently high in the air, it costs her only a minor action per turn to ride on the wind or thermal columns. Since aarakocra can hold weapons with their feet, they are quite capable of aerial combat while gliding in this way.
No racial feats yet - the base should be reasonably balanced (if possible) before adding anything else!
AARAKOCRA
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[/SBLOCK]
RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 6' 2" - 6' 6"
Average Weight: 85 - 120 lb.
Ability Bonuses: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence
Size: Medium
Speed: 5 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, (Aarakocra)
Skill Bonus: +2 Perception
Rigid Claws: You can't use two-handed weapons. When you use a versatile weapon, you must use it two-handed, but you don't deal additional damage for doing so.
Gliding Flight: You can use gliding flight as an at-will power.
GLIDING FLIGHT • Aarakocra Racial Power
You spread your wings as you leap off the cliff, and the rising air carries you over the plains.
At-Will
Standard Action • Personal
Effect: You gain a speed of fly 8 until the start of your next turn. You take up a space 2 squares by 2 squares while flying, and you can't squeeze through a smaller area.
Sustain Minor: If you are outdoors and more than 4 squares above the ground, you can sustain flight indefinitely. If you let it lapse, you crash at the end of your turn.
Siberys's recent Kenku conversion made me wonder how viable the aarakocra would be in 4th Edition. Here are some of my thoughts.
I wanted the race to have a form of flight from the beginning, and to balance it out some penalties were in order. However, I've only played in two 1st-level sessions of 4E so far, so I'm hardly in the position to judge how valuable the ability to fly really is. Comments and suggestions are welcome!
First, the penalties. The aarakocra ability score bonuses modify the same defenses (AC and Reflex), and unlike for example the eladrin, aarakocra receive no additional defense bonuses. Furthermore, they suffer penalties to their base land speed and the ability to use weapons as if they were Small characters. Aarakocra move awkwardly on the ground, and their clawlike hands are ill-equipped to hold large weaponry.
The aarakocra ability to fly is mostly a form of gliding, and not really a viable option in enclosed spaces. Due to their size, aarakocra are considerably heavy for avians. To reflect this, taking into the air costs a standard action for an aarakocra, and she has to keep spending standard actions to remain in the air on her own. (In addition, as per the flying rules, an aarakocra has to move at least 2 squares per turn or she crashes.) However, if an aarakocra is out-of-doors and sufficiently high in the air, it costs her only a minor action per turn to ride on the wind or thermal columns. Since aarakocra can hold weapons with their feet, they are quite capable of aerial combat while gliding in this way.
No racial feats yet - the base should be reasonably balanced (if possible) before adding anything else!
AARAKOCRA
[SBLOCK=Image]
RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 6' 2" - 6' 6"
Average Weight: 85 - 120 lb.
Ability Bonuses: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence
Size: Medium
Speed: 5 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, (Aarakocra)
Skill Bonus: +2 Perception
Rigid Claws: You can't use two-handed weapons. When you use a versatile weapon, you must use it two-handed, but you don't deal additional damage for doing so.
Gliding Flight: You can use gliding flight as an at-will power.
GLIDING FLIGHT • Aarakocra Racial Power
You spread your wings as you leap off the cliff, and the rising air carries you over the plains.
At-Will
Standard Action • Personal
Effect: You gain a speed of fly 8 until the start of your next turn. You take up a space 2 squares by 2 squares while flying, and you can't squeeze through a smaller area.
Sustain Minor: If you are outdoors and more than 4 squares above the ground, you can sustain flight indefinitely. If you let it lapse, you crash at the end of your turn.
