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<blockquote data-quote="Kobold Stew" data-source="post: 6115641" data-attributes="member: 23484"><p>Some more low-XP humanoid races</p><p></p><p><strong>Rakasta</strong></p><p>+1 Dexterity, +1 Constitution</p><p>low-light vision</p><p>languages: common</p><p>Pounce: You move up to your speed. If you move at least 10' you can make two claw attacks. If mounted, your move can happen after mount has moved, and two hits render the victim prone.</p><p>(proficiency: light armour)</p><p>(proficiency: javelin and steel claw)</p><p></p><p>Note: Steel Claw is a 1d4 light, finesse weapon that does slashing damage. </p><p></p><p><strong>Lizardfolk</strong></p><p>+1 Strength, +1 Constitution</p><p>languages: draconic (characters must have Int 12+ to speak common)</p><p>Hold Breath: you can hold your breath 10x longer than normal, and there are no penalties for being underwater.</p><p>Natural armour +1</p><p>Natural weapons: bite 1d6 piercing, claws 2d4 slashing</p><p>Multiattack: as an action, you may make one bite and one claws attack.</p><p>(proficiency: shield)</p><p></p><p>Note: between the two Lizardfolk builds presented, there seems to be a discrepancy in what the natural armour is (+1 or +2). I assume +1 here, but I expect one of the two ACs given is simply a typo.</p><p></p><p>Some notes:</p><p>* These could have made the initial cut, but even though humanoid and at the same XP levels, they introduce problems. The Rakasta is fine, but the lizardfolk will make some DMs uncomfortable, as the abilities are exploitable by a player.</p><p>* I like the idea that if a race doesn't naturally speak common, that has to be overcome with an "intelligence tax" -- perhaps useful. One could also say that the scales only permit the race ever to wear light armour. Would that be a sufficient balancing incentive? I don't know.</p><p>* I also note that claws are implemented differently for these two races. The Rakasta has strap-on claws that combine with the Pounce ability; the Lizardfolk can combine a pair of claws attacks with a bite. It feels sloppy to me, and so I left them out of my initial list.</p><p></p><p>Further notes:</p><p>There are three other races that are in this low-level range, for which I feel the XP are simply too low (given what else they can do):</p><p><strong>Troglodytes</strong>: have the goblinoid Stealthy and lizard folk multiattacks, plus Stench and (as a penalty) light sensitivity. Everything about the race says "doesn't play well with others" and the XP seems too low for an opponent with so many abilities.</p><p><strong>Phanatons</strong>: have a climb and a glide speed. Perhaps it would be viable, but I'm not interested.</p><p></p><p>Then there's the low-XP humanoid races that aren't technically humanoid. There's the <strong>Dryad</strong>, which is not humanoid but fey. 18 charisma, dominate person ability, magic resistance. for 40 XP. There's also the <strong>Doppelgänger</strong> (a monstrosity), with change shape and read thoughts. As opponents, this seems not to have been thought through, or else both of their XP is too low, or else it's another typo. But something is clearly wrong.</p><p></p><p>I'll repeat the claim I made in the OP:</p><p><strong>Little thought seems to have been given to the bestiary</strong> (at least for the low-level opponents one often faces). There are problems with them as opponents, and these problems reveal themselves when one considers how they would serve as PC races. </p><p></p><p>I was fine with all the races in the OP. Here, there's nothing wrong with the Rakasta and (perhaps) the Lizardfolk. Phanaton, Troglodyte and (non-humanoid) Dryad and Doppelgängers are too powerful.</p><p></p><p>And so, [MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION], is the <strong>Drow</strong>. Magic resistance, spells, multi attack, poison, lots of HP... Worth the listed 160 xp (still, nowhere near the 40 xp Dryad). But not part of the exercise I'm undertaking, trying to sort through what has been presented to us in the testpack. Yes, a watered down version will eventually appear, but that's not this, and any answer will depend on the multiclassing rules that are eventually presented to us. Until they are, it's not worth pursuing (at least for me).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Kobold Stew, post: 6115641, member: 23484"] Some more low-XP humanoid races [B]Rakasta[/B] +1 Dexterity, +1 Constitution low-light vision languages: common Pounce: You move up to your speed. If you move at least 10' you can make two claw attacks. If mounted, your move can happen after mount has moved, and two hits render the victim prone. (proficiency: light armour) (proficiency: javelin and steel claw) Note: Steel Claw is a 1d4 light, finesse weapon that does slashing damage. [B]Lizardfolk[/B] +1 Strength, +1 Constitution languages: draconic (characters must have Int 12+ to speak common) Hold Breath: you can hold your breath 10x longer than normal, and there are no penalties for being underwater. Natural armour +1 Natural weapons: bite 1d6 piercing, claws 2d4 slashing Multiattack: as an action, you may make one bite and one claws attack. (proficiency: shield) Note: between the two Lizardfolk builds presented, there seems to be a discrepancy in what the natural armour is (+1 or +2). I assume +1 here, but I expect one of the two ACs given is simply a typo. Some notes: * These could have made the initial cut, but even though humanoid and at the same XP levels, they introduce problems. The Rakasta is fine, but the lizardfolk will make some DMs uncomfortable, as the abilities are exploitable by a player. * I like the idea that if a race doesn't naturally speak common, that has to be overcome with an "intelligence tax" -- perhaps useful. One could also say that the scales only permit the race ever to wear light armour. Would that be a sufficient balancing incentive? I don't know. * I also note that claws are implemented differently for these two races. The Rakasta has strap-on claws that combine with the Pounce ability; the Lizardfolk can combine a pair of claws attacks with a bite. It feels sloppy to me, and so I left them out of my initial list. Further notes: There are three other races that are in this low-level range, for which I feel the XP are simply too low (given what else they can do): [B]Troglodytes[/B]: have the goblinoid Stealthy and lizard folk multiattacks, plus Stench and (as a penalty) light sensitivity. Everything about the race says "doesn't play well with others" and the XP seems too low for an opponent with so many abilities. [B]Phanatons[/B]: have a climb and a glide speed. Perhaps it would be viable, but I'm not interested. Then there's the low-XP humanoid races that aren't technically humanoid. There's the [B]Dryad[/B], which is not humanoid but fey. 18 charisma, dominate person ability, magic resistance. for 40 XP. There's also the [B]Doppelgänger[/B] (a monstrosity), with change shape and read thoughts. As opponents, this seems not to have been thought through, or else both of their XP is too low, or else it's another typo. But something is clearly wrong. I'll repeat the claim I made in the OP: [B]Little thought seems to have been given to the bestiary[/B] (at least for the low-level opponents one often faces). There are problems with them as opponents, and these problems reveal themselves when one considers how they would serve as PC races. I was fine with all the races in the OP. Here, there's nothing wrong with the Rakasta and (perhaps) the Lizardfolk. Phanaton, Troglodyte and (non-humanoid) Dryad and Doppelgängers are too powerful. And so, [MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION], is the [B]Drow[/B]. Magic resistance, spells, multi attack, poison, lots of HP... Worth the listed 160 xp (still, nowhere near the 40 xp Dryad). But not part of the exercise I'm undertaking, trying to sort through what has been presented to us in the testpack. Yes, a watered down version will eventually appear, but that's not this, and any answer will depend on the multiclassing rules that are eventually presented to us. Until they are, it's not worth pursuing (at least for me). [/QUOTE]
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