D&D 4E Elves & Eladrin Beware, Thri-Kreen are Hunting in 4e

[Trooper Maximus]

I like it as a daily power, too.
But I have some reservations, seeing as no other race gets an extra daily.
I want something weaker as an encounter.
Don't know what it is yet.

I'll brainstorm some more, see what I can come up with. I don't want to neuter the race but i don't want it to be munchkin either. Gosh, it's hard to reach a balance.

Did you look at the other guy's interpretation?
The leap encounter was okay, but I want something to do with the poison.
Maybe we can nerf it, and make it an encounter.
Rather than immoblize it only slows and does damage?
P.S. I've played more, but you're the one with the ideas. I just tweak'em.

Yes. I did like the leap ability but the Tri-Kreen is just a well-spring of bad-ass potential it's hard to tone it down.

 

[Shadowsong666]

Hi wherwrthal,

nice conversion.

But lets get to a racial feature you ignored - the 4 arms. ^^

Mechanically, you could let them have just 1 attack per round, but give them the ability to ready more weapons.

If its too much for free, lets make these things feats, ok?

• can hold a weapon in each hand. As each weapon hold is ready for use, he doesn't need to switch weapons if holding a gythka, a shield, a javelin and a chatkcha (sidenote: Gythka are too powerful. 2d8 - sorry - thats over the top even with just a +1 prof. bonus. make it +3 and d10 and keep the versatile thing that makes it on par with a bastard sword - good enough imho) He could also wield a gythka versatile, parry with a shield and have a chatkcha ready to throw it at an enemy.
• get a free action to ready stuff in his hands. he got four of them. There is no reason to let him take longer then a round to get all four arms armed.
• can throw a ranged weapon at an enemy without triggering an attack of opportunity if wielding a gythka versatile or weapon+shield.
• can not wield a polearm and a shield and get the benefits of both of them. needs to choose which of them takes effect in the round. But he could ready a polearm and fight with a sword and shield style until the polearm is needed...

I don't think that a racial feature should just get thrown out of the door because 4e doesn't bring something like that on the table from the start.

We are seeing, and will see, very new approaches to powers and racial features in the upcoming books. lets try to be creative.

 

[Trooper Maximus]

Since Thri-Kreen have so many great abilities why not make them "Buy" them as they grow.

Heroic Tier Feats
1. Compund Eye - Prerequisite: Thri-kreen
Grants Low-Light Vision.
2. Sensitive Antena - Prerequisite: Thri-kreen
Grants +2 to Perception.
3. Multi-Dexterity - (Four Arms) Prerequisite: Thri-kreen, Dex 18.
You can have 1 two handed weapon and 2 one-handed weapons (or a shield) ready. You can alternate between weapons but can only gain the benefit from one set.
4. Missile Dodge - Prerequisite: Thri-kreen, Trained in Acrobatics.
You gain +2 Ref Defense.

Paragon Tier
1. Thri-kreen Leap - Prerequisite: Thri-kreen, Trained in Athletics.
+2 to your athletics check when you leap. You always leap as if you had a running start. If you spend an action point you gain a +10 bonus to your check.

Thri-kreen Racial power: Poison Bite *Minor Action *Poison *Reliable *Encounter
Bite for 1D4+Con Mod Poison damage.

Epic Tier Feat: Poison Chatkcha: Prerequisites: Poison Bite Racial Power.
Add Con Mod Poison Damage to your Chatkcha's damage.

Thri-kreen Weapons:
Name Prof Damage Price Wt Group Properties
Gythka +2 2D4 25gp 8lb Polearm, Heavy Blade Reach
Chatkcha +3 1D4 6/12 Rng* 1lb Lt Blade Light Throw
*Chatkcha returns at the end of your turn on a miss.

 

[Wraith Form]

Trooper:

Love it. Great idea.

 

[Trooper Maximus]

Trooper:

Love it. Great idea.

Thanks.

 

[wherwrthal]

Now, plug it all together.
I'm digging the make your character race better using feats.
I want to see your complete write-up.
Lacking in time or I would do it myself.
(By-the-by did you switch to Lina Inverse?)

 

[Trooper Maximus]

I made a thri-kreen cleric last night and it doesn't over power any other race I made at 1st lvl.

Now, plug it all together.

I'm digging the make your character race better using feats.
I want to see your complete write-up.

Your wish is my command, wherwrthal!

(By-the-by did you switch to Lina Inverse?)

Yup! I wanted an avatar so I trolled around. I bought Slayers Seasons 1-3 with per diem and have been on a Lina kick lateley.

I passed my final exam today and will get my Command Career Counseler breast device and 9588 NEC tomorrow!!


On Topic . . .

THRI-KREEN
Primal hunters, who use poison and quick reflexes.

RACIAL TRAITS:
Average Height: 5’6” – 6’2”
Average Weight: 130 – 170 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Normal
Language: Common & Thri-kreen
Skill Bonus: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Nature
Create Chatkcha: You have an instinctual urge to create a crystalline throwing wedge, or chatkch, from your poison resin glands. Creation of a chatkcha requires a full-extended rest. You may only have one chatkcha created at one time.
Hunter’s Determination (Trance): Thri-Kreen have no need to sleep, however they do need time to rest and enter a meditative state that lasts for 6 hours or longer. This condition does not render the thri-kreen unconscious, and they do not suffer any penalty to their perception checks while in their meditative state, due to sensory input from their antennae. If you spend your time making a chatkcha, you do not gain the benefit of an extended rest.
Poison Bite: You can use the thri-kreen racial power Poison Bite as an encounter power.
Thri-Kreen Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the polearm called a Gythka (Dam: 2D4) and the crystalline throwing wedge called a Chatkcha (Dam: 2D4; Range: 6/12; Properties: Light thrown, returns at the end of your turn on a miss).
Thri-kreen Agility: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift. This abilities works even when using abilities that allow you to shift more than one square.

Poison Bite (Thri-kreen racial power)
One bite is usually enough to stop a mantis warrior’s prey long enough to deliver the final blow.
* Encounter *Poison *Reliable
* Minor Action *Melee
Target: One creature Attack: Dex. Modifier vs. AC
Hit: 1D4 + Con Modifier Poison Damage.

“Mantis men” as they’ve become known make their homes in arid or scrublands hunting prey. Their biological prerogative to hunt drives their every action.

Play a Thri-kreen if you want . . .
· be a primal hunter.
· look completely alien to other races and have a reputation for eating sentient races.
· be a member of a race that favors the cleric, ranger or rogue class.

Physical Qualities: The thri-kreen, often called mantis-warriors, are intelligent humanoids with insect-like features. They most closely resemble a bipedal praying mantis. An thin, supportive exoskeleton covers the entirety of the adult’s body, but due to the unique features of the thri-kreen’s anatomy, provides no natural penalties for wearing armor that would fit another humanoid of a similar size. All thri-kreen have six limbs on their midsection, two are powerful legs designed for leaping long distances, four arms end in four fingered hands at the midsection of the torso. A mantis warrior’s head has two large multi-colored compound eyes, usually green, blue and/or crimson colored, two small antennae and a complex jaw that includes a pair of wicked mandibles.

The thri-kreen as a race, mature very quickly, reaching full growth in just two years. They live for about 40 years and remain fully active until they die.

Playing a Thri-Kreen: Hunting dominates every aspect of a thri-kreen’s life. Members of other races often wonder if the thri-kreen are capable of thinking of anything else. As a nomadic race, few permanent thri-kreen communities exist; instead, lone hunters or packs range widely over their own territories, foraging and hunting for daily sustenance.

Mantis-warriors have an undeserved reputation for hunting sentient races. While on occasion, lone hunters will wander into an area inhabited by humanoid races, hunt, kill and eat a weak member of the species; this is the exception, not the norm. In days long-past, packs of thri-kreen actively hunted elves and became fond of the taste of elf flesh. This practice was eventually abandoned. The long-lived elves however, have not forgotten; while, on the other hand, the relatively short-lived thri-kreen no longer remember. As a rule, thri-kreen wonder why elves hate them without cause.

After the first few months of life the mantis men develop their poison glands and instinct drives them to create a throwing wedge, a chatkcha, or a short pole-arm, called a gythka. They will constantly work to craft, stylize and customize their own personal chatkcha or gythka. If lost, stolen or destroyed the mantis man will create a new one. An adult thri-kreen can create a chatkcha or gythka in as little as six hours. They will spend the rest of their lives improving their throwing wedge or blade.

Thri-Kreen Characteristics: Agile, alien, drifter, hunter, primal, wild.

Thri-Kreen Adventurers: An aging ranger, who appointed the mantis warrior his successor, adopted Tik’Tak. When a sorcerer, whose magic consumed the very plant life around him, entered Tik’Tak’s domain, the mantis man was forced to find brave adventurers to aid him in stopping the mad wizard.
Clik’Kluk’Tic wandered into a human settlement when he was young. As he aged he learned to prize something called “money”. As a rogue, he now stalks the streets, hunting for as much “money” as he can get.
Sister Karter encountered worshipers of Melora while hunting. She had an instant attraction to the nature goddess, seeing much of herself in the deity. Assuming a new name with her ordination she seeks to find followers who will help her destroy the church of Erathis. She sees them as the antithesis of her divinely appointed position and believes a holy war in imminent between the two religions.

Thri-kreen Weapons:
As in my previous post, I can't get it to work good!

Heroic Tier Feats:

Mantis Grace
Prerequisite: Thri-Kreen, Dex 13
You can dodge incoming missiles and other blows with a grace unseen in other humanoid races.
Benefit: +2 to Reflex Def.

Compund Eye - Prerequisite: Thri-kreen
You've trained your alien eyes to detect your prey's movement in the dark.
Benefit: Grants Low-Light Vision.

Sensitive Antena - Prerequisite: Thri-kreen
You've developed your senses to be in tune with your antena. You can smell, hear, feel and taste with them.
Benefit: Grants +2 to Perception.

Multi-Dexterity - (Four Arms) Prerequisite: Thri-kreen, Dex 18.
You can have 1 two handed weapon and 2 one-handed weapons (or a shield) ready. You can alternate between weapons but can only gain the benefit from one set.

Paragon Tier Feats:

Thri-Kreen Leap
Prerequisite: Thri-Kreen, trained in Athletics
Your insect-like legs were designed to jump and you’ve become an expert at leaping.
Benefit: +2 to your Athletics check when you leap. You always leap as if you had a running start. If you spend an action point you gain a +10 bonus to your check.

Paralyzing Poison
Prerequisite: Thri-Kreen, Poison Bite Racial Power
With age your poison glands have developed additional properties.
Benefit: When you score a hit with your Poison Bite, your enemy must roll a save minus your Con modifier or be slowed.

Poison Chatkcha
Prerequisite: Thri-Kreen, Use of Chatkcha,
Your constant preening of your throwing wedge has imbued it with the poison properties of the venom it is made of.
Benefit: Once per encounter your chatkcha delivers poison damage equal to your Con modifier, just like your Poison Bite power.

What'da think?

 

[Shadowsong666]

Hi Trooper,

just two things about the bite.

The unmodified "poison bite" racial power is underpowered. Imho you should compensate for the missing prof. and magic weapon bonus somehow. +2,+4,+6 to the attack should do it. I also think that slowed (save ends) should be a standard feature of the racial attack, cause the damage of the bite isn't great and targets only one creature.

I would also change the feat "paralyzing bite" so that the enemy gets dazed (save ends) or stunned until the end of your next turn. Dazed is more in line but thinking of a thri-kreen biting you and your muscles just go on fire, stunning you in pain, is just cool. Just remember, if you go stunned, dont forget the normal effect of your bite and make it also aftereffect: slowed(save ends).

 

[Trooper Maximus]

Hi Trooper,

just two things about the bite.

The unmodified "poison bite" racial power is underpowered. Imho you should compensate for the missing prof. and magic weapon bonus somehow. +2,+4,+6 to the attack should do it. I also think that slowed (save ends) should be a standard feature of the racial attack, cause the damage of the bite isn't great and targets only one creature.

I would also change the feat "paralyzing bite" so that the enemy gets dazed (save ends) or stunned until the end of your next turn. Dazed is more in line but thinking of a thri-kreen biting you and your muscles just go on fire, stunning you in pain, is just cool. Just remember, if you go stunned, dont forget the normal effect of your bite and make it also aftereffect: slowed(save ends).

I agree with everything you wrote, Shadowsong666. I was just worried that would make it too powerful.

 

[Shadowsong666]

I agree with everything you wrote, Shadowsong666. I was just worried that would make it too powerful.

Well i think you are right - somehow. As obvious dailys are the powers with save ends effects. So lets keep it that way and change it to:

Poison Bite (Thri-kreen racial power)
One bite is usually enough to slow a mantis warrior’s prey long
enough to deliver the final blow.
* Encounter *Poison *Reliable
* Minor Action *Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: DEX +2 vs. AC
Hit: 1D4 + Con Modifier Poison Damage and the target is
slowed until the end of your next turn. Increase to +4
bonus and 2d4 + Con modifier damage at 11th level, and to +6
bonus and 3d4 + Con modifier damage at 21st level.

​

Paragon Feat - Paralyzing bite
Prerequisite: Thri-Kreen
You lose your Poison Bite as racial encounter power. Your racial encounter power changes as your poison grows stronger. You can use Paralyzing Bite now.

Paralyzing Bite (Thri-kreen racial power)
One bite is usually enough to stop a mantis warrior’s prey long
enough to deliver the final blow.
* Encounter *Poison *Reliable
* Minor Action *Melee
Target: One creature
Attack: DEX +2 vs. AC
Hit: 1D4 + Con Modifier Poison Damage and the target is
immobilized until the end of your next turn. Increase to +4
bonus and 2d4 + Con modifier damage at 11th level, and to +6
bonus and 3d4 + Con modifier damage at 21st level.
​

Also i would adjust the following feat so that the feats work better if picked up together.

Poison Chatkcha
Prerequisites: Thri-Kreen, Use of Chatkcha,
You are able to use the chatkcha to deliver your poisonous saliva over distance. You can use the Poison Chatkcha racial encounter power.

Poison Chatchka (Thri-kreen racial encounter power)
With a fast move, you grab your chatkchka, soak it with your
saliva and throw the poisoned weapon at your suprised enemy.
* Encounter *Martial *Weapon *Poison
* Standard Action *Ranged Weapon
Requirement: You must wield a chatkcha to use this power with
Target: One creature
Attack: DEX vs. AC
Hit: 1D + Con Modifier Poison Damage and the target is slowed
until the end of your next turn. If you have the Paralyzing
Bite racial feat the target is immobilized until the end of your
next turn instead.
Effect: The use of Poison Chatkcha counts as a use of Poison Bite / Paralyzing Bite. You can not use either until after a short rest. If you already used your Poison Bite / Paralyzing Bite racial encounter power in this encounter, you are not able to use this encounter power until after a short rest.
​

Hope its constructive enough for you guys.