Iron Kingdoms Races

[Tzeentch]

Update 1: Updated Iosan and Nyss based on feedback.
Update 2: Rewritten somewhat, human "variants", language notes, ogrun, new feats


LANGUAGES AND SCRIPT
These tables show how the Player's Guide languages and scripts fit with the Iron Kingdoms equivalents. It is intended as a guide and not a strict conversion - as a general rule a 4e character will be passably fluent in a large number of languages in the Iron Kingdoms.

The chart below assumes that the 4e languages and scripts are used as-is (aside from being renamed for flavor) and that each 4e language can include a multitude of tongues that in the 3e rules were separate.

Language Iron Kingdoms Languages
Common; Cygnaran, Khadoran, Llaelese, Sulese, Ordic, High Tordoris
Deep Speech; None
Draconic; Tkra
Dwarven; Rhulic, Miner Rhulic
Elven; Aeric, Shyr
Giant; Molgur-Og, Molgur-Trul
Goblin; Farrow, Gobberish, Molgur, Quor
Primordial; None
Supernal; Telgesh
Abyssal; Nokiri
Script; Iron Kingdoms Scripts
Common; Caspian, Khadoran
Davek: Rhulic, Rhul-Runic
Rellanic: Aeric, Shyric
Iokharic: Tkra
Davek: Molgur
Barazhad: Saelaan glyphs, Nonokrian glyphs
Supernal: Telgesh glyphs

New Languages and Scripts (IK Languages) Used By Script
Cant (Five Cant, Swampie) Pirates, criminals, river-folk Common
Scharde Tongue (Scharde Tongue) Cryxians Common
Skorne (Skorne) Skorne Skorne
Tharn (Tharn) Tharn None
Satyxi (Satyxi) Satyx Satyxi
Thrallspeak (Thrallspeak) Undead thralls None
Zunus (Zunus) Zu Zunus

Further Collapsing Languages: To further reduce the implementation of new languages in 4e do the following - Scharde Tongue, Five Cant, and Swampie added to Common. Thrallspeak added to Abyssal. This leaves four new languages and three new scripts. These languages are rather obscure, and largely in use by NPCs you will rarely interact with.

CHARACTER RACES


Humans (all regions)
As PHB Humans, pp. 46-47. Suggested attribute bonus and bonus feat are listed below:
Khard:
Stubborn and proud humans of the north, who claim to have the blood of giants and ancient horselords running in their veins.
+2 Strength and Power Attack
Kossite:
Reclusive forest-dwellers with little patience for intruders on their lands.
+2 Constitution and Two-Weapon Fighting
Ryn:
Natives of a land where eloquence in word and deed is held in high esteem.
+2 Charisma and Linguist
Skirov:
Barbaric humans with an unwavering dedication their religious faith.
+2 Constitution and Toughness
Umbrean:
Remnants of the Old Umbrey horselords, now a people on the decline.
+2 Strength and Mounted Combat

Midlunder:
No-nonsense and obstinate people who dominate the northern regions of Cygnar.
+2 Wisdom and Action Surge
Morridane:
Suspicious outcastes who rarely leave their boggy home in Morrdh.
+2 Dexterity and Alertness
Thurian:
Tenacious humans with a knack for magic.
+2 Intelligence and Skill Focus
Tordorian:
Proud descendants of a people that once claimed all of Ord.
+2 Wisdom and Improved Initiative

Caspian:
Cosmopolitan progressive people who dominate western Immoren.
+2 Charisma and Jack of All Trades
Sulese:
Devout and modest people who harbor a bitter grudge against their Caspian neighbors.
+2 Wisdom and Skill Focus
Idrian:
Member of one of over a hundred tribes lumped into a single name.
+2 Dexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting
Sharde:
An unfortunate people dominated and warped by their exposure to dragonblight.
+2 Constitution and Durable


Iosans (Elves)
As PHB Eldaran, pp. 38-39, but replace fey step with Iosan divination. Remove fey origin.
Iosan Divination: You can use Iosan divination as a daily power.
Paragon Feat: Replace feywild protection with Iosan magehunter.

[sblock=Iosan Divination]
Iosan Divination; Racial Power
The time you have foreseen has finally come to pass.
Daily
Free action
Personal
Effect: Before any roll, you may use this power to add a +4 racial bonus to the result.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Paragon Feat: Iosan Magehunter]
Iosan Divination [Eldaran]
I strike in the name of our goddess!
Prerequisite: Wis 15, Eldaran
Benefit: You gain a +2 feat bonus on saves against effects with the radiant, fire, and cold keywords.
[/sblock]


Goblins (Gobbers and Bogrin)
Ability Scores:
Gobber: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence
Bogrin: +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution
Size: Small
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Thievery
Goblin Concealment: You can use goblin concealment as an encounter power.
Goblin Fortitude: You gain a +1 racial bonus to your Fortitude defense.

[sblock=Goblin Concealment]
Goblin Concealment; Racial Power
Oi! Where did e' go?
Encounter
Move action
Personal
Effect: You gain concealment until the end of your next turn.
[/sblock]

Rhulfolk (Dwarves)
As PHB Dwarves, pp. 36-37.
Heroic Feat: Oathkeeper can be selected.
Paragon Feat: Oathbound can be selected.

[sblock=Heroic and Paragon Tier Feats]
Oathkeeper [Dwarf]
You cannot dissuade me from my duty with such cheap tricks!
Prerequisite: Dwarf
Benefit: +2 feat bonus to resist fear effects.

Oathbound [Dwarf]
Is that all you got?!
Prerequisites: Wis 15, dwarf
Benefit: You gain a +5 bonus against fear effects for the remainder of the encounter if you are bloodied.
[/sblock]

Nyss (Winter Elves)
As PHB Elves. pp. 40-41, but proficient with the longbow and greatsword. Remove fey origin and group awareness. Add:
Arctic Walker: You have ice walk.
Blessing of Nyssor: You have resist cold 5 + one-half your level.

Trollkin
Ability Scores:
Standard: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution
Sorceror: +2 Wisdom, +2 Constitution
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Darkvision
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Nature
Poison Resistance: +4 racial bonus to saving throws against poison.
Trollkin Regeneration: If you are reduced to 0 or less hit points by an attack, you may spend a healing surge to rise at the beginning of your next turn (as a move action) with 5 hit points.


Ogrun
Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Intimidate
Oath of Fealty: If an ally you can see is reduced to 0 or less hit points you may use a healing surge as an immediate reaction.
Ogrun Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the glaive and halberd.
Oversized: You can use weapons of your size or one size larger than you as if they were your size.

 

[guybrush]

These are so straightforward I find it hard to believe no-one thought of them before... Great work!

For the Nyss, I would probably do away with Wild Step - ice walk is a much better fit and it seems weird for them to have two movement based racial traits - and increase the cold resistance to match the Fire resistance given to Tieflings, i.e. 5 plus 1/2 level. Fey Origin is probably unnecessary too, since as far as I recall the Nyss and Iosans don't have any connection to the rather more bloody and interesting fey of the Iron Kingdoms.

Goliaths are almost certainly in PHB2, so I guess we'll see the official take on Large characters early next year. I didn't think being Large would offer much of an advantage: there are few powers and actions that rely on size, so the only benefit I can see is having larger weapons. They only do a little more damage (the die size only shifts one space), so that's easily offset by having to use squeeze rules for tight spaces, being easier to flank, and so on.

Of course, after writing that, I realised the main advantage comes with burst effects: does "burst 1" affect 12 squares instead of 8 for a large character? Surely there are rules covering this sort of thing in the MM? And is that offset by the fact that you can be surrounded by 12 foes, instead of 9?

 

[Tzeentch]

These are so straightforward I find it hard to believe no-one thought of them before... Great work!

Thanks

For the Nyss, I would probably do away with Wild Step - ice walk is a much better fit and it seems weird for them to have two movement based racial traits - and increase the cold resistance to match the Fire resistance given to Tieflings, i.e. 5 plus 1/2 level. Fey Origin is probably unnecessary too, since as far as I recall the Nyss and Iosans don't have any connection to the rather more bloody and interesting fey of the Iron Kingdoms.

I think those changes are perfect.

Do you happen to have Monsternomicon II BTW? If so, does it have anything on the blightspawn?

 

[guybrush]

Do you happen to have Monsternomicon II BTW? If so, does it have anything on the blightspawn?

Sadly I don't; I only have the Monsternomicon I (3.0 edition at that) and the Lock 'n' Load character primer. Big fan of the setting though, and am currently trying to track down the other books so I can run a game - only got to play an Adventuring Scholar once, but I definitely want to again!

One other thought: how would we represent Rhulic oaths? I think someone posted a conversion of Quest/Geas into a ritual, so perhaps it's straightforward (must be my word of the day), but have you any thoughts?

 

[Tzeentch]

The IKCG states its something only lawful dwarves have to worry about, and that its treated as a normal geas/quest spell (which seems wildly out of place since thats a 6th level spell in 3rd edition).

In 4e... hmm. Well, given the mantra of "only positives" for character races I think the following fits the basic theme.

Heroic Tier Feats

Oathkeeper [Dwarf]
You cannot dissuade me from my duty with such cheap tricks!
Prerequisite: Dwarf
Benefit: +2 feat bonus to resist fear effects.


Paragon Tier Feats

Oathbound [Dwarf]
Is that all you got?!
Prerequisites: Wis 15, dwarf
Benefit: You gain a +5 bonus against fear effects when bloodied.*

* If too weak it could be buffed as "Trigger: You are bloodedi. Effect: You gain a +5 bonus against fear effects for the remainder of the encounter."