[d20 Future] Stat adjustments for Star Frontiers races

[Achan hiArusa]

The Japanese

Actually, the Japanese do have the highest IQ of any nation. The Guinness Book of World Records (at least a copy from 1984) says that the national average is 108.8, which if average Logic is 50 is a +5 bonus, or at least a +1 bonus in d20 (which would mean a +2 bonus since you are not supposed to give odd bonuses).

 

[thol]

There are surely more intelligent individuals who rise to the top, but there is nothing that implies that species wide they are over intuitive or inventive.

I was talking about the Vrusk, not the Japanese

I merely used the Japanese working society structure as a reference to how the Vrusk society was set up.

It seems that stereotypes play a major part in the view of how the Star Frontier races should be, and not how they are described and portrayed in the rules and modules.

Stereotypes:
Vrusk: Smart, inventive, hard-working, insect-like hive culture
Yazarian: Dumb, excitable, impatient, earth-monkey like
Dralasite: Strong, bendable, goofy

Reality:
Vrusk: Conformist, dedicated, lovers of beauty in spite of their hardline culture
Yazarian: Smart, passionate, excitable, mechanically apt
Dralastie: Sensitive, humorists, laid back

The races are far more complicated than their appearances. We tend to see them and make a judgement based on our experience or perception of them as personified examples of things we are familiar with. It bothers me that people see the Yazarians as screeching, jumping monkeys, and Vrusk as the brilliant scientists.

 

[inthisstyle]

Weren: I don't see how being large-sized gets you hosed with a +1 ECL. Sure you get a 10 ft. reach, you can use (melee) weapons that do an average of +1 damage over medium-sized, and a +4 to grapple checks. But you get a -1 to hit, -1 to AC, +2 purchase DC to armor and clothing (don't have the book in front of me), and -4 to hide checks. Even if that doesn't evenly balance out, the difference doesn't justify a +1 ECL, especially in a campaign where melee weapons aren't that important.

I think you are right, here. With combat skewed toward ranged fire, the bonuses for a large size aren't as effective, and the AC bonus for a small size starts to help a lot. When I was creating my race generation system for Bulldogs!, I didn't assign any penalty to size changes (this was for 3E rather than Modern, but I still think it applies). I think they are pretty balanced as is.

 

[qstor]

The Sathar stats look pretty good thanks!

Mike

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Stat Adjustments

It is true that they made the Yazirian stat adjustments so that none of them conflicted with the rage abilities, unfortunately. There is a lot of artistic license in the creative department. And of course, this is from someone who has made Gamma World and Dark Sun conversion that are "a lot more like the original" (quoting other people).

As for large-size, I use a stat analysis based on a cross between BESM d20 and M&M to analyze stuff. Let see if I can remember what I did:

Large-sized
-1 Size Penalty to Hit -3 points
-1 Size Penalty to Defense -2 points
-4 Penalty to Hide Checks -4 points
Increased Space/Reach 2 points
+4 to Strength Checks vs. Grapple 2 points
Able to Use Larger Sized Weapons 2 points
Total -3 points

Small-Sized
+1 Size Bonus to Hit +3 points
+1 Size Bonus to Defense +2 points
+4 Size Bonus to Hide Checks +4 points
-4 Strength Checks vs. Grapple -2 points
Must use Smaller Sized Weapons -2 points
Total +5 points

Generally the default is 2 points if the ability is the equivelent of a feat.

 

[Shallown]

Couldn't the Yazarian racial enemy thing be made a feat they can chose.

I haven't played star Frontiers in years so my memory may not be to fresh on things but seems like it would fit.

I think each race could have a few Racial feats to explain things they might have been known for before. Some even may need to be chosen at first level.

As far as weren go the Goliath in races of stone have some interesting cross of large and meduim abilities. They aren't actually large but can use weapons one size up and get some benefits. I don't have the Races of stone so can't give you a complete run down but I have read some stuff on the boards.

Just an idea

Later