D&D 5E Homebrewing a PC race: Gorgons

[QuietBrowser]

Just delete the word "bonus": "As an action, [effect]." Alternatively, "You can use your action to [effect]." This is 5E, the natural language edition.

Okay, with that off my chest, a highly mutation-prone race is a cool idea. WotC kind of did this with kobolds, but the execution wasn't stellar, and they're kobolds so nobody cared anyway. The freaky snake lady race is a much better place for it.

Correct.

I have a hard time imagining those things being "worth" advantage, since they're not that strong and they're in a kind of awkward position for the gorgon to use (you generally don't want to give an opponent in a grapple any kind of control over your head). I think they're fine being used simply as extra manipulators. It's not as if the race is otherwise tuned for grappling builds, anyway. If you think they need a little more power, give 'em a bit of natural armor for their scales, like lizardfolk or draconic sorcerers.

Pssh. No. Go nuts. Make it 40 ft.

Firstly, thank you for the compliment on the racial idea.

Secondly, thank you for the wording correction.

Thirdly, I like the idea that they have 40 feet of flight. It is, after all, a feat-locked ability, and in my own setting... well, there are guns, so ranged weapons are really not that big a deal. Heck, I think the humble Bow has a 60ft base range?

Finally, the basic idea was that the writhing mane isn't long enough or strong enough to hold a human entirely on its own, but when a gorgon has you in a hold, they are certainly long enough and strong enough that they can grab your wrists or wrap around your throat. I've repeatedly had to move pythons on my property, and let me tell you, even a small one has a pretty decent grip - I know I wouldn't want one wrapped around my neck.

 

[DeanP]

I wondering if Writhing Mane, is better as an attack option rather than being able to hold items or obtain an upgrade that allows it to use weapons? Visually, imagining a gorgon swinging say, an axe with her hair looks a bit comical. However, lashing snakes that can bite when a foe is within reach as a bonus action, that fits the profile.

 

[QuietBrowser]

I wondering if Writhing Mane, is better as an attack option rather than being able to hold items or obtain an upgrade that allows it to use weapons? Visually, imagining a gorgon swinging say, an axe with her hair looks a bit comical. However, lashing snakes that can bite when a foe is within reach as a bonus action, that fits the profile.

That's not a bad idea, but... well, I really like the way that Magic has both the conventional snake-haired gorgons and gorgons who possess snake tails for hair instead of snake heads; these wouldn't be much good for attack, but they do suggest themselves well towards grabbing things and manipulating them like extra hands.

 

[DeanP]

But...snake tails might be good at grappling. Perhaps providing advantage on an action to grapple or something beneficial to a grapple. Whereas as, snakeheads would be useful for a poisonous bite attack. It helps avoid gorgons wielding mauls with their hair.

 

[QuietBrowser]

But...snake tails might be good at grappling. Perhaps providing advantage on an action to grapple or something beneficial to a grapple. Whereas as, snakeheads would be useful for a poisonous bite attack. It helps avoid gorgons wielding mauls with their hair.

Forgive me, but I'm too exhausted to beat around the bush; have you been able to follow the current progression of the Writhing Mane trait? Because this is how it's currently set up:

Writhing Mane Default: Prehensile snake tails. These grant Advantage on your Grappling checks and can be used as an extra set of hands for light work, such as picking pockets, pulling levers, opening books, etc. You cannot use these to attack in any way.

Feat Option #1: Your hair turns into the classic snake heads array, which grants you a special bonus action unarmed strike that does poison damage.

Feat Option #2: Your hair grows much, much longer. This extends your reach for interacting with small objects, and also extends the reach of your biting-hair attack if you have that feat.

Feat Option #3: Through diligent training, you learn to use your hair as a singular extra limb. You can now use a weapon with it, but only if it's a single-handed melee weapon, your serpents are strong, but they're not that strong. This is supposed to let you do something like throw a dagger at someone, not let you sling a battleaxe around your head. I figure that what you're trying to say is that this option is too immersion-breaking?

 

[DeanP]

Sorry, I seemed to have missed a post along the way. I think that works.

 

[QuietBrowser]

I'm really grateful to everyone for their help in trying to balance this out. But, I figured I Should ask the Key Question: can Gorgons get away with keeping the "eyebeams as a subracial trait" idea?

I get where you're coming from when you say that they can't have secondary effects like Paralysis, etc. Even if that poster was mistaken in how often the trait is available. But, these gorgons have being a chaotic, physically/spiritually unstable race written into their fluff. Can the game mechanics support there being gorgons who poison, freeze or incinerate with their gaze?

 

[Sunseeker]

I'm really grateful to everyone for their help in trying to balance this out. But, I figured I Should ask the Key Question: can Gorgons get away with keeping the "eyebeams as a subracial trait" idea?

I get where you're coming from when you say that they can't have secondary effects like Paralysis, etc. Even if that poster was mistaken in how often the trait is available. But, these gorgons have being a chaotic, physically/spiritually unstable race written into their fluff. Can the game mechanics support there being gorgons who poison, freeze or incinerate with their gaze?

Well, as long as it's kept in line with a Cantrip or the Dragonborn breath, I don't see why not, it's just a "breath weapon" coming out of a different hole in the face. It also requires the target to be able to see the Gorgon's eyes, so you can't shoot them in the back with it. Poison might be a bit of a stretch though, but it also shouldn't be necessary because you can get poison via the feat to make your hair into snakes instead of just tendrils. But it's also a much more magical effect than breathing fire.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*