Intelligent Warforged

[Camelot]

Since the races are being updated to have more versatile ability score bonuses but aren't all finished yet, I am coming up with my own thoughts on what they should be. Also, as with the dragonborn (dragonfear) and genasi (abyssal genasi) in dragon magazine, I think each race should get another racial ability option as well. So here's my ideas for warforged.

+2 Constitution, +2 Strength or Intelligence

You can switch warforged resolve for Warforged Memory.

Warforged Memory: At 1st level, you choose a 1st-level at-will attack power from your class. You can use that power as an encounter power.

Feats, paragon path, and flavor can be found here, but this is the main change. What do you think?

 

[Rampant]

I like the way the ability boosts are arranged, however I'm not liking the power option. Maybe some sort of defensive maneuver designed to prevent damage rather than responding to it.

 

[ravenheart]

Warforged Memory: At 1st level, you choose a 1st-level at-will attack power from your class. You can use that power as an encounter power.

I'm not sure about the power either - its less versatile than Dilettante and far more situational than the human bonus at-will. I have a suggestion, but it might be over the top:

Warforged Memory: After a short or extended rest, you can substitute one of your classes 1st-level at-will attack powers with any other 1st-level at-will attack powers from the same class. You gain a +1 bonus to the first attack roll with the swapped power you make each encounter before the end of your next rest.

So it mimics Martial Readiness but adds even more flexibility and only requires a short rest to swap. I tried to phrase it so that it wouldn't be open to hybrid or multi-classing abuse. It probably requires some further adjustments to avoid loopholes.

The attack bonus was a sort of last minute addition, but I think it adds some flair to it. There could be feat allowing you to swap powers mid-encounter as a daily minor action ability(maybe as an encounter ability in paragon, and as a free action in epic), or a cumulative damage bonus for each successive encounter utilizing the same swapped power.

Any good?

 

[Camelot]

Thanks for the feedback! How about combining the two ideas?

Warforged Memory: At 1st level, you choose a 1st level at-will attack power from your class that you don't already know. You can use that power as an encounter power. After each extended rest, you can switch that power for another 1st level at-will attack power from your class, which you can also use as an encounter power.

This provides much more versatility than my original (using your idea, Ravenheart), but keeps the benefit of having that additional power instead of replacing another one with it (they have good memory, they should be able to remember more than the normal amount of at-wills, though not in the same way as humans or half-elves). It also doesn't make martial readiness useless to martial classes, but gives the feel of martial adaptability to other classes (warforged are bred for war, so they have an innate martial feel). Also, I think having it just switch after an extended rest would be better. Not only is this more in line with what I've seen from other feats and abilities, but having the player flip through each book of at-wills after every short rest to decide which combination he's going to use this time could get annoying. Finally, the attack bonus just seems forced to me, but if more people agree that it needs that extra oomph, I'd include it. Thanks again!

 

[ravenheart]

Thanks for the feedback! How about combining the two ideas?

Warforged Memory: At 1st level, you choose a 1st level at-will attack power from your class that you don't already know. You can use that power as an encounter power. After each extended rest, you can switch that power for another 1st level at-will attack power from your class, which you can also use as an encounter power.

Yeah, that could work! Probably works even better like that although theres still potential issues with multi-classing and hybrids, but hey - when isn't there one?

One thing I forgot to mention is that I'm not too keen on the name in relation to the function of the feature. How about keeping the prefix "Warforged" but changing it to either "Adaption", "Efficiency" or maybe even "Reprogramming" (although that last one might be a bit TOO robot-y). Warforged Memory sounds more like a feat granting a bonus to skills or re-rolls with certain ones.

This provides much more versatility than my original (using your idea, Ravenheart), but keeps the benefit of having that additional power instead of replacing another one with it (they have good memory, they should be able to remember more than the normal amount of at-wills, though not in the same way as humans or half-elves). It also doesn't make martial readiness useless to martial classes, but gives the feel of martial adaptability to other classes (warforged are bred for war, so they have an innate martial feel). Also, I think having it just switch after an extended rest would be better. Not only is this more in line with what I've seen from other feats and abilities, but having the player flip through each book of at-wills after every short rest to decide which combination he's going to use this time could get annoying. Finally, the attack bonus just seems forced to me, but if more people agree that it needs that extra oomph, I'd include it. Thanks again!

Yeah, I wasn't too sure about the attack bonus. As this version adds versatility but retains it as a bonus aspect I guess it's not really needed.

I guess it could be modified into a feat?

Warforged Overdrive - you have CA when you use the power (=since its not part of your regular routine), and you gain a cumulative +2/4/6 damage bonus for each encounter it is kept unused (= increased time for optimizing power usage) - interesting nova-potential for rogues in particular!

Another feat could make it swappable after a short rest (DMs choice or player's burden - either get used to flipping through books or force the player to stat up every swappable power in advance).

Anyway, good ideas all around! And FYI, I do agree about the ability pairings! CON + STR or INT all the way, baby!