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Message: <blockquote data-quote="QuietBrowser" data-source="post: 7271407" data-attributes="member: 6855057">Firstly, yes, I know bout the UA that gave us 5e Gith already. I find it incredibly dissatisfying and mechanically underwhelming, and the fact the authors all but admitted they just threw it together didn't help my impression.So, while I may have my quibbles with some aspects of Planescape, I love the potential it presents for exotic new races to weave into my campaign. And, of course, two of the most iconic races of Planescape are the Githyanki and the Githzerai.These are old-school Planescape races. The Githzerai was one of the three initial new races in the Planescape boxed set - the Aasimar, Genasi, Rogue Modron and Planar Human & Half-Elf didn't show up until the Planewalker's Handbook came out later. And despite being evil, the githyanki have been dogging their heels every set of the way; they showed up in AD&D (A Guide to the Astral Plane), in 3.5 (Expanded Psionics Handbook) and in 4e (Monster Manual 1), never getting the mainstream light, but still there for us who enjoy breaking the mold.Now, obviously, I want to convert these two - plus the Duthka'gith, the githyanki's fiendish half-dragon offshoot races - to 5e options. However, I'm running into a problem...One big issue is that the 5e monster manual versions of the gith are... well, dull. Githyanki are basically humans who have Mage Hand and a couple of high-level (1st and onwards) spell-like abilities, which obviously the PC can't get. Githzerai are a little better; at least they have the Psionic Defense trait, which gives them Wisdom modifier to their unarmored AC.Likewise, their PC writeups in past editions have been a little... uninspiring. I'll post them in spoiler-blocks below for reference.[SPOILER=AD&D PC Statblocks]Githyanki AD&D+1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence, -1 Wisdom, -1 CharismaRacial Maximums of 19 Dex and IntClass Restrictions: Fighter, Mage, Gish (Fighter/Mage), PsionicistAstral Movement rate of 96Double odds of having psionic wild talentsMalign Reputation: -2 reaction penalty with Good NPCs, -1 reaction penalty with Neutral NPCsRacial Enmity: Githzerai: -8 reaction penalty with Githzerai, stacks with Malign ReputationThe Lich-Queen Is Watching: Upon hitting 11th level, the PC has Vlaakith CLVII's attention; if they reach 12th level, she senses it and will dispatch several waves of githyanki "retrieval teams", then turn to local resources (assassins, etc), not stopping until either she or the githyanki character is dead. Githyanki can choose to deliberately not gain any levels after 11th to avoid her wrath.Githzerai AD&D+1 Intelligence, +1 Dexterity, -1 Strength, -1 Wisdom (PO:S&P instead presents them as having no racial ability adjustments)Infravision 60 feetAlignment Restriction: Cannot be LawfulClass & Level Limits: Fighter (9), Wizard (12), Thief (15), Zerth [Fighter/Mage] (9/12)Magic Resistance: Githzerai Fighters and Thieves have Magic Resistance 5% per level (maximum 95%); this power cannot be suppressed, and the first time a githzerai attempts to use an item, make a Magic Resistance check; if succeeded, then that item's magic will never function for that githzerai as a result. Githyanki wizards do not have magic resistance, and fighter/wizards must choose whether or not they have it.[/SPOILER][SPOILER=3.5 PC Statblocks]Githyanki 3.5+2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 WisdomMediumBase Land Speed 30 feetDarkvision 60 feetNaturally Psionic: Increase your Psionic Points Pool by +3 psi points.Psi-Like Abilities: At 1st level, you can use the Psi-Like Abilities of Far Hand and Psionic Daze 3/day each. You also gain the Psi-Like Abilities of Concealing Amorpha (3/day) at 3rd level, Psionic Dimension Door (3/day) at 6th level, before finishing with Telekinetic Thrust (3/day) and Psionic Plane Shift (1/day) at 9th level.Power Resistance: Hit Dice + 5Favored Class: FighterLevel Adjustment: +2Polyhedron's writeup was similar, but different: it replaced the Naturally Psionic and Psi-Like Abilities with "Psionics", replacing its psi-like abilities with the spell-like abilities of Mage Hand (3/day) and Daze Humanoid (3/day) at 1st level, Dimension Door (3/day) at 6th level, and both Telekinesis (3/day) and Plane Shift (1/day) at 9th level. Likewise, Power Resistance was replace with Spell Resistance (5 + 1 per character level) and they gained the Extraplanar trait, making them vulnerable to Banishment and similar spells when outside of the Astral Plane.Githzerai 3.5+6 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 IntelligenceMediumBase Land Speed 30 feetDarkvision 60 feetNaturally Psionic: Increase Psionic Power Points Pool by +2 Psi Points.Psi-Like Abilities: A githzerai can use the psi-like abilities of Inertial Armor, Psionic Daze, Catfall and Concussion, all 3/day. At 11th level, they can also use Psionic Plane Shift 1/day. Manifester level is equal to 1/2 Hit Dice (minimum 1st) and save DCs are Charisma based.Power Resistance: Hit Dice +5Favored Class: MonkLevel Adjustment: +2[/SPOILER][SPOILER=4e PC Statblocks]Githyanki 4eAbility Scores: +2 Constitution, +2 IntelligenceSize: MediumSpeed: 6 squaresVision: NormalSkill Bonuses: +2 HistoryDanger Sense: +2 bonus to Initiative checks.Githyanki Willpower: +1 to Will defense, +2 to saving throws against Charm effects.Racial Power - Telekinetic Leap: Usable 1/Encounter, Move Action, target Self or 1 ally within 10 squares. The target of this power can Fly up to 5 squares; if you use this on an ally, that ally must remain in your line of sight at all times during the effect.Githzerai 4eAbility Scores: +2 Dexterity or Intelligence, +2 WisdomSize: MediumSpeed: 6 SquaresVision: NormalSkill Bonuses: +2 Acrobatics, +2 AthleticsDanger Sense: +2 to Initiative checks.Shifting Fortune: When you use your Second Wind, you can shift 3 squares as a free action.Racial Power - Iron Mind: Usable 1/encounter, when you would be hit by an attack, you can increase all of your defenses by +2 until the end of your next turn as an Immediate Interrupt.[/SPOILER]So, I think there's interesting ideas to tap into from the fluff - can you imagine githyanki who can psionically sharpen their weapons to cut their foes' minds, or who tap into their inner anarchistic rage to bolster their defenses against mind-control? - but these would be radical divergences from past writeups of the races. Which do you think is best? Staying true to the 5e monster writeup? Trying to convert the general "feel" from their last three editions? Or trying something more unusual, something more radical?[SPOILER="Duthka'gith stats, for later"]Duthka'gith+8 Str, +2 Dex, +4 Con, +2 Int, -2 Wis, +2 ChaMediumBase Speed 30 feetDarkvision 60 feetLow-light VisionPsionics: At 1st level, can use the spell-like abilities of Daze Humanoid and Mage Hand 3/day each. At 3rd level, gain Blur (3/day). At 6th level, gain Dimension Door (3/day). At 9th level, gain Telekinesis (3/day) and Plane Shift (1/day).Spell Resistance: 5 + 1 per total character level, maxing at SR 25 at 20th level.Dragon TypeExtraplanarBreath Weapon (Su): 1/day, spit a 30ft cone of fire that deals 6d8 fire damage (half on a successful Reflex save of DC 10 + duthka'gith's Con modifier).Natural Weapons: One Bite attack (1d6 + 1/2 duthka'gith's Str modifier), two Claw attacks (1d4 + duthka'gith's Str modifier).Natural Armor Bonus: +4Smite Good (Su): 1/day, inflict bonus damage equal to character level against a good opponent.Energy Resistance: Immune to Fire, Cold Resistance 5Githyanki Blood: A duthka'gith is considered to be a Githyanki for all special abilities, effects and requirements tied to race.Level Adjustment: +5Favored Class: Fighter[/SPOILER]Well, personally, I'd like to try and preserve some feel of legacy with my gith conversions, because if I just do them completely without reference to the past, well, am I really converting them or am I just making up a race and falsely plastering on a name it doesn't deserve?I'm not saying that a "clean slate" approach can't work - for example, if I wanted to do a race of dwarves who live in flying cities and maintain airships, ala the Kharadron Overlords of Warhammer: Age of Sigmar, I'd probably need to clean-slate it due to the push of the canon Dwarf Core towards dwarves as people who live in the ground and mine stuff - but it's a very drastic step.For a starting point... I'd definitely go with making them full-fledged independent races; yes, they have a common ancestry, but they've always been a very different pair of races. They didn't even look alike initially!</blockquote>

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