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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ravinsild" data-source="post: 7211498" data-attributes="member: 6866845">This is my attempt to port the 4e Gnoll Race from this source: <a href="http://www.wizards.com/files/367_Playing_Gnolls.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.wizards.com/files/367_Playing_Gnolls.pdf</a>I took that as a basis and modified it using 5e Language and concepts as I understand them. Is this balanced?Original 4e Race as basis:RACIAL TRAITS Average Height: 7’ 0” – 7’ 6” Average Weight: 280–320 lb.Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity Size: Medium Speed: 7 squares Vision: Low-lightLanguages: Abyssal, Common Skill Bonuses: +2 Intimidate, +2 Perception Blood Fury: While you’re bloodied, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls. This increases to a +4 bonus at 21st level. Pack Attack: You deal an extra 2 damage on melee attacks against an enemy that has two or more of your allies adjacent to it. Ferocious Charge: You can use ferocious charge as an encounter power.You lunge toward the enemy and, with a tirade of curses, un- leash the wrath of Yeenoghu upon your hapless foe.Encounter Standard Action Personal Effect: You charge, and deal an extra 2 damage on a successful attack. Increase the extra damage to 4 at 11th level and 6 at 21st level. If you are bloodied, double the extra damage and gain an equal number of temporary hit points.My 5e version can be seen here:<a href="http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/ry-qKDrXtW" target="_blank">http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/ry-qKDrXtW</a>I may choose to make the racial stat bonus to Strength based on Volo's Guide to Monsters description as follows: Strength, hunger and fear are the three concepts that every Gnoll extols. Strength allows a Gnoll to overwhelm, kill and devour a foe. Hunger motivates a Gnoll to go forth and slay in Yeenoghu's name. Fear is a weapon used against enemies to make them easy prey. In concert, all three play a role in advancing Yeenoghu's goals.The skill proficiency is based partly in the Fear mantra most Gnolls follow in Yeenoghu's name in addition to the fact that Gnoll search for omens everywhere for signs from their demonic lord. The same is true for the Hunger that drives their bite and their rampage to eat. Pack Attack was adapted from the +2 damage version the 4e Gnoll came with as I copy and pasted it to change it to the Kobold's version. I don't know how to convert the Blood Fury if if it should just be removed as a racial trait from 4e's version.Based on Volo's Guide I gave them a proficiency with bows like the Elven Proficiency. The section about "Kill from a Distance" implies they always scavenge and carry bows with them from those they have killed.Other points to consider: Changing racial stat bonus to +2 Strength to keep in line with Volo's guide but it would not have synergy with the Bow Proficiency. "Leave No Survivors" section says Gnolls attempt to travel as stealthily as possible leaving open a possible proficiency in stealth. Thoughts on inclusions/changes?Possible changes: Proficiency in Stealth perhaps giving a choice of two skills (Choose two from Stealth, Intimidate and Perception), changing the Dexterity racial bonus to Strength.Picking through the highlights:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Gift of Yeenoghu: "Strength, hunger and fear are the three concepts that every gnoll extols. Strength allows a gnoll to overwhelm, kill and devour a foe. Hunger motivates a gnoll to go forth and slay in Yeenoghu's name. Fear is a weapon used against enemies to make them easy prey. In concert all three play a role in advancing Yeenoghu's goals."</li> </ul>Mostly why I am considering making them +2 Strength, +1 Con, in addition to my source for Intimidation skill. Also Hunger feels like the source for Rampage and the Bite to...eat in mid combat. Seems fitting.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Omens from beyond: "As such, gnolls instinctively look for such omens to guide their activities, and they find them in many places. Among the signs that gnolls rely on are the blood trails and spatters left behind after making a meal of an intelligent humanoid. They attach significance to a number of other phenomena as well, including the sight of arrows in flight, the rush of the wind, and sounds of howling or cackling laughter that have no discernible source".</li> </ul>This would speak to me a bonus in perception, always aware of their surroundings, almost paranoid.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Butcher the Weak: "Gnolls seek only to kill, and as such prefer to deal with weak, easy targets." Probably these are susceptible to fear. It also states "An enemy that can fight back is an enemy to save for later."</li> </ul>Not a lot to draw from racially here but it does make a point toward NOT having pack tactics. In general they like easy to win fights, they just want to get in and get out.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Overwhelm the Strong: "Gnolls attack intelligent prey that is capable of resisting them ONLY when the most powerful omens from Yeenoghu compel them to do so." They don't LIKE to do this and don't do it naturally. It almost needs to be forced. However "They cooperate to gang up on each of the individuals in a group of explorers or adventurers, or if the prey is more numerous they will rush forward in waves. The creatures will crawl over their own dead to climb a castle's walls and kill all within it.</li> </ul>That last set of statements is where I drew Pack Tactics from in addition to a carry over from 4e. So it seems like a forced behavior which makes it illigible to be cut in my mind. It's not a natural Gnoll thing Yeenoghu makes them. If you're a good gnoll that's been cleansed from your demonic corruption you will probably never feel compelled to do this. This is similar to real life Hyenas that prefer to avoid Lions and other large predators even when it groups. They prefer to run and fight another day. They ARE predators not just scavengers, but they don't just go into fights to fight. So I this makes a case FOR Pack Attack but the previous section makes a case AGAINST Pack Attack.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Kill From a Distance: "Almost every gnoll carries a bow scavenged from a past victim. Gnolls use ranged attacks mainly to prevent their target from fleeing, rather than softening up their targets with an initial barrage of arrows before an assault."</li> </ul>There's more here but this is where I drew the Bow proficiency from. I was thinking about literally just Longbow or Longbow/Shortbow no crossbow at all. In addition some more of this subsection seems to support pack tactics indirectly. Still conflicted with this.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Leave no Survivors: "To keep from being detected between major raids, the gnolls move through the wilderness with as much stealth as they can marshall. They never leave survivors in any group they set upon, and will pursue a fleeing enemy for days to prevent it from getting to a town or a city and raising an alarm."</li> </ul>This is the line that made me consider a proficiency in stealth. They like to be quiet, unseen and unnoticed by this writing.Based PURELY on these articles it looks like:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bow Proficiency. Just Bow. No crossbow, just normal bow.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stealth, Intimidate, and Perception proficiency</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rampage + Bite due to hunger?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">+2 Strength, +1 Con instead of Dex?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pack Tactics strong maybe many points for/against</li> </ul>It doesn't mention they are particularly fast. 30 base movement is probably normal. 35 feet was a carry over from 4e 7 squares, but none of this flavor necessarily implies they move fast or run far except MAYBE if you're stretching the whole "runs after enemies no matter what for forever" but...that doesn't mean they run FAR just they have a lot of endurance (+1 con). All the monster stat blocks just say 30 feet in the MM and Volos. They also ALL have Darkvision, even the undead one. So the monster stats uniformly have: Rampage (every single one has it), Darkvision and 30 feet movement speed. MOST have a "Longbow" attack also matching the above point.How strong would:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">+2 Dex (Strength more appropriate???), +1 Con</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">30 speed</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Longbow Proficiency (Shortbow feels greedy but maybe both bows?)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stealth, Perception, Intimidate proficiency</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rampage</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bite to have a mechanic to use rampage (It feels like the bite and rampage are paired. If I removed Rampage I'd remove the bite.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tentative Pack Attack but probably just willing to cut</li> </ul>Monster Stats:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">30 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1 has Intimidate/Perception, 1 has Stealth/Perception</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5/7 Gnolls have Longbow</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">6/7 Have Bite/Rampage</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">0/7 have Pack Tactics - this cues me it should be deleted</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">7/7 know Gnoll, 2/7 know Abyssal</li> </ul>Conclusion:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">+2 Dex/Str (which one?), +1 Con</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">30 speed</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Longbow Proficiency</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bite</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rampage</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Perception and either Stealth or Intimidate? Intimidate feels more...fundamental. Stealth only 1 guy has.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Common, Gnoll Language. Maybe Abyssal?</li> </ul>Conclusion score 7 seems to be the score without stealth 7.5<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">3 points for abilities</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">0.5 Darkvision</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">0.5 for "Weapon Proficiency" (it's only 1 not 4)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1 (natural weapon 1d6)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1 (Change an Action to a Bonus Action?)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1 for two skill proficiency (Perception, Intimidate)</li> </ul>This is a flat 7. with Stealth it would be 8 actually, and with abysall 8.5 which feels just excessive. I would not add Abyssal since only two out of seven gnolls know it. I wouldn't include Stealth proficiency its too much. From rough memory it seems to mesh well with Tabaxi...about the same score.They get:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">3 from +2 Dex, +1 Con</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">0.5 Darkvision</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1 Can move double their speed in combat (30 feet), can't do again until they move 0 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">0.5 Natural Claws (1d4)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1 for 20 feet of climbing speed</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1.5 for Stealth and Perception proficiency</li> </ul>That totals to 7.5 roughly - about the same strength as my Gnoll, Elves and Dwarves. Seems solid. Strong, but solid compared to many racial options out. I think I figured out how that Musicus score thing worked.</blockquote>

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