A Balance issue for OA's Vanara

[Cyronax]

Hi, I am currently running a 2/1 barbarian/wu jen vanara in my friends FR campaign, and have found the character really fun to play. I've noticed however, that the vanara race (the monkey people from the OA) seem a bit overpowered.

I was wondering what everyone else thought about them. I'm planning a new campaign for the Fall and am trying to figure out what races to allow.

Would a +1 lvl equiv. make the vanara more balanced, is that too extreme, or is the race fine the way it is?

Thanks,
C.I.D.

 

[hong]

What is it about the vanara that seems overpowered?

 

[Cyronax]

my worries

I'm not even sure if its overpowered, but I just wanted the opinions of others.

I was just comparing the vanara to the other races I was likely going to allow -- the standard races + orcs and tieflings (a +1 lvl adj.).

It seemed that the vanara's total positive ability adjustments (+2 Int, +2 Wis, -2 Str. = net +2) is pretty good.

Add to that the great modifiers to a host of skills (perfect class skills for rogues, rangers, and to a lesser extent barbarians) and also the "fast climb" ability, which allows the vanara to effectively take 10 on climb checks.

Is a +2 to both int and wis. really a counter balance to a hit in strength? The DMG says so, but I'm not so sure.

BTW, if I do allow them in my campaign, their favored class will be druid not shaman (won't be an OA campaign).

C.I.D.

 

[Zerovoid]

While the ability modifiers do make them great spellcasters, I don't think there'll be a problem with them them. STR is a stronger stat than INT or WIS in general, and while having a net + to stats is quite a good thing, there's no class that benefits greatly from having a high Int and Wis. A multiclassed wiz/cleric would like those stats, but they would be weak already because the multiclassed. If it was +4 to one stat, I would agree with you.

 

[Cyronax]

I think I agree for the most part Zerovoid. Still, does anyone else have any opinions? I'm interested in drawing a broader consensus still.


Thanks for the replies thus far,
C.I.D.

 

[Black Omega]

I have a player running a Vanara Shaman in my game and so far I've not found any problems with the Vanara. Their special abilities are cool but not particularly overpowering. They make great rogue skills but then Vanara lack the dex and cha boost rogues make the best use of. With the -2 Str thery make better casters but as was already said,no caster really gets a big bonus from int and wis.

 

[novyet]

I ran an npc vanara psion with my group for about two months, and he never really seemed all that powerful. Although the abilities are made for casters, and they make good shamans or rogues, I would like to point out that they make great psions. That's where the attribute bonuses shine.

 

[ForceUser]

I think the vanara are fine as written. I don't intend to change them.

 

[Cyronax]

Hmmm...well the consensus seems to think vanara are okay. Good!

I like the race, and I wanted to include them as is. I was just making sure they weren't broken, and the EN Worlders usually give better advice than posters on certain other boards.

Incidentally, the best defense of the vanara's playability as is, is if you look at the gnome. Gnomes are pretty good in 3e I think, and I've always thought that while versatile, gnomes were balanced just right with the other races (maybe not the poor half-orc though).

Anyway thanks all,
C.I.D.