Making Another Homebrew Race

[Oversquid]

As the name implies, I made a similar thread a few days back about a race called the Tsaghoal:

Thread: http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-le...g-homebrew-race-need-your-help-balancing.html

The act of balancing out the Tsaghoal is still going on right now, but I'm still going to put another race on the table for you all to pick at.

I'm going to call this race the Treelings until I can come up with a better name. My goal with the Treelings is to make a race thats of a +0 LA.

Some more is that the Treelings are a race that is about 7 feet tall on average that look like humans, except that there are leaves where hair is, and they are asexual. Their body shapes are like human females without any sort of sexual organs, or breasts.

Each Treeling has traits from different trees, like their bodies can be like a birch trunk, and yet their leaves can be like palm trees for example. In addition, the fruit/nuts that grow on them can be fruit/nuts not affiliated with any of their tree parts, for example, a Treeling with a body like a Birch trunk, and the leaves of a palm tree can grow Apples as their fruit.

The Treelings themselves are very outgoing creatures, but much prefer to remain deep in the forests and be with the trees. Only a few Treelings ever leave their forests, for reasons such as their forests being cut down, or perhaps a rare few will grow attached to beings from away from the forests.

Without further ado, here are the stats, and please read the descriptions, as a few abilities have special rules:

- +2 Charisma, -2 Dexterity. Treelings are very outgoing creatures, but they're not able to bend and turn as well as others.

- Fey.

- Plant-like. Treelings live like plants, however they are not plants themselves despite their appearance. A Treeling is effected by spells and effects that specifically target plant type creatures as if they were a plant type creature.

- Medium Size. Treelings are often confused for Treants, however they are smaller than treants, but still taller than a human.

- Base Land Speed is 20ft.

- Low-Light Vision.

- +2 Bonus to Natural Armor, their bark gives them resilience to blows.

- Sturdy Body Structure. The build of a Treeling lets them function as 1 size category larger for the purposes of opposed grapple checks if it is advantageous to it, is also treated as 1 size category larger for the purposes of being effected by Improved Grab or Swallow Whole, however, their threat and range remain of that of its actual size.

Also, a Treeling's speed is not hindered by wearing Medium or Heavy Armor, or by carrying a Medium or Heavy load. Also, a Treeling cannot use weapons as if they were a Large Sized creature.

- Sunlight Affinity. A Treeling is treated as if Dazzled when entering into an area that Sunlight does not touch on a regular basis, like a deep cavern, or a dungeon. The rule is, if the Treeling can directly see the sky from where they are at any time of the day, then a Treeling won't be Dazzled.

By Sunlight, I mean anything that illuminates a landscape.

- Can use Goodberry 1/day so long as they feed for 8 hours. It takes a Treeling 8 hours to get the food and water they need from the soil for a week. To do this, they must root their legs into the ground, and their legs, now roots can take in nutrients from the soil. In the process, they grow 2d4 fruits where leaves would grow. Those fruits can be berries, apples, nuts, or even bananas or durians. Whatever they are, eating one can fill one up as if they ate a meal, and cures one hit point. The fruits however whither away if not eaten for a day. Treelings cannot eat their own Goodberries for health or nourishment.

- +2 bonus to Knowledge (Nature) and Handle Animal checks, their natural empathy for their forest homes gives them better knowledge of how to treat those living in them.

- +4 bonus to Hide checks when in heavily forested areas. Their colorations and their treelike appearance makes them difficult to see when trees abound.

Automatic Languages: Sylvan

Bonus Languages: Aquan, Auran, Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Ignan, or Terran

Favored Class: Druid

Level Adjustment: +0



ADDITIONAL NOTES: Down here I'll bring more clarification to the biology of the Treelings.

Sleeping: A Treeling does not sleep like a Human does, instead, it roots its legs into the ground at the same speed it takes for a human to lie down. When done so, a Treeling takes in nutrients from the soil, which both feeds, and rests the Treeling. The Treeling is still awake, however it must spend a Move-Equivalent action in order to unroot itself and move around again. So a Treeling can keep watch while the party, and it rests. The soil a Treeling needs however, is soil that can grow at least grass on a year-round basis, though a Treeling would prefer soil that can grow trees on a year-round basis. A Treeling must rest as such for 8 hours in order to feel "normal".

Eating: As was stated before, a Treeling gets their equivalent of food and drink the same time they rest, and it takes 8 hours, the same exact 8 hours it takes for them to rest. For a Treeling to survive, they need soil that can at least grow grass on a regular basis. For a Treeling to bare fruit every day (Goodberry effect), a Treeling must root in soil that can at least grow trees on a regular basis.

Soil: A Treeling needs at least as much soil as it has body size, so if a Treeling is 7 feet tall, and 3 and a half feet wide, then a Treeling needs a cube of soil that is 7 feet tall and 3 and a half feet wide as well.

A Treeling cannot root in the same patch of soil twice.

A Treeling can also use less soil, by sharing their roots with an Adult tree. An Adult Tree is considered an adult when the tree can bear a means to reproduce itself. When a Treeling shares roots with an adult tree, cut the amount of soil needed by half. Then if a Treeling were to wish to share roots with 2 adult trees, then cut the amount of soil needed by 1/4th, and so on.

 

[xigbar]

They may be outgoing, but they rarely leave their forests, so why would they be charismatic with other people? Also, if they have powerful build, I would give them a strength bonus. Maybe a CON bonus too, and penalty to WIS/CHA. I just can't see them as being charismatic. The NA bonus is in order, and makes sense, maybe a +1 instead of a +2, all thought it's not a big difference.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Also seems a fun race to play.

Powerful Build starts to tip it toward a +1 LA, like the Half-giant. However, since the plant-like ability seems to have more penalties than advantages (At least, off the top of my head, I'd need to consider how many beneficial plant spells this race could make use of), it seems to offset the Powerful build.

For example, Deminish Plants specifically says it reduces plants to 1/3 size. It states it does not effect plant creatures. Since this is a Fay with "Plant-like" as a racial trait, but not as a racial subtype, can this spell be a permanent Reduce Person for these creatures? Be sure to check over the plant-effecting spells and see if there is room for abuse.

The Goodberry ability is a nice flavor, and not overpowered at all, since it requires so much work on the character's part to produce the effect. The creature effectively "eats" in a way that all other races sleep (by remaining immobile, limiting some functionality). It's like planting a Warforged in one spot to keep watch at night, and then that Warforged makes a delicious breakfast for the party that morning.

The "Very outgoing, but lives deep in the woods with trees" thing has me confused as I try to paint a mental picture of their personality.

 

[Oversquid]

They may be outgoing, but they rarely leave their forests, so why would they be charismatic with other people? Also, if they have powerful build, I would give them a strength bonus. Maybe a CON bonus too, and penalty to WIS/CHA. I just can't see them as being charismatic. The NA bonus is in order, and makes sense, maybe a +1 instead of a +2, all thought it's not a big difference.

You do bring up some good thoughts, though I'll see about answering your questions.

For your first point, I think the best way to answer it is to tell you how I see these stats.

I see Charisma as an arbitrary measurement of personality, and how well that personality is expressed. It is true that the Treelings aren't enormously skilled at talking to other traditional humanoids like humans or halflings, they do however have some exceptional ability to express themselves to their forests, and to whatever else lives in them too, be they animals, sprites, or even the odd elven or forest gnome community as well.

I guess to that end, even though the Treelings don't get in contact with many outside their forests, that does not necessarily make them aloof. It just means that they prefer to stay inside their forests, even though their culture and practices are heavily bent on expression.

Speaking of culture as a whole, I should edit my above post with that.



Next up is Powerful Build. Some history was that I intended this race to be of Large Size, but then seeing as how it has a LA of +0, it will be very difficult to turn it to LA +0 while Large. Still, I wanted it to have some traits as if it were large.

Now for some real justification for this Power Build, is that yes, they don't get a Strength Bonus or even a Constitution Bonus. But what they do have is the composition of their bodies. Their entire body is wood, nothing else really, and the way their wooden body is shaped is in such a way that they become much more sturdy than if they were made of flesh and blood. Their bodies don't yield to weight as easily simply by virtue of their body composition.

Still, I figured this was going to be the most problematic race to balance out, but still, feel free to refute what I said, and I'll read it though.

Thanks!

 

[xigbar]

A score bonus should reflect something that applies to the races function in all areas. Just because creature gets along well with it's own kind doesn't mean it's charismatic when forced into a group of races it isn't familiar with. I'm pretty sure Dwarves get along with eachother. Even if it doesn't have strength in muscle, what you just described as it's "sturdiness" would translate into a bonus to strength, or CON. In fact, a lot of races with a CON bonus describe the reasoning for it as "sturdiness."

 

[Visigani]

Powerful Build makes this a +1 race.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Now for some real justification for this Power Build, is that yes, they don't get a Strength Bonus or even a Constitution Bonus. But what they do have is the composition of their bodies. Their entire body is wood, nothing else really, and the way their wooden body is shaped is in such a way that they become much more sturdy than if they were made of flesh and blood. Their bodies don't yield to weight as easily simply by virtue of their body composition

Hm... perhaps stating a penalty to their weight then? How they may be twice or three times as heavy as other standard races, giving penalties to climb, ride, and the like? It would definitely offset the combat bonus to Powerful Build, and keep that +0 LA balance.

 

[Empirate]

Balance-wise, I think your creation is just fine as LA+0. However, I'd like to point out a few conceptual problems I have with this race, especially where their niche in the game is concerned.


First of all, character optimization:
+2 Cha, -2 Dex doesn't really lend itself easily to many optimized builds, except maybe a Paladin? Bards and Sorcerers will hate the Dex penalty, though - although it may be preferable to the Star Elves' Con penalty. Powerful build does nothing for Bards and Sorcerers, either. NA is nice for everybody, but again favors the frontliners. So is this a Paladin-y race, with a Cha bonus, NA, and powerful build? Doesn't seem to fit that well conceptually, and what would a Paladin be doing using Knowledge (Nature)?

Binder, maybe?

Druids, which fit the concept more than anything, only get a Cha bonus once wildshaped, which isn't much really, and lose the other benefits of the race choice, except for largely inconsequential skill bonuses.

So what's this race's schtick, what are they supposed to be really good at?


Concept/role in the campaign:
So they're forest-dwelling, friendly, nature-loving humanoids. Like ents, errm..., treants, but without the great personal power those invoke, so you can put in more individuals. I could see a role in a campaign easily enough, of course. It'd be a little bit of work to avoid cliché, but still. On the other hand, they fill much of the narrative-ecological niche of Wood Elves.


Physiology etc.:
Plant-like, but not plant-like... I'm not feelin' it. It seems a bit as if you only put in the restrictions on their plant-y-ness to avoid balancing issues. The Goodberry power (which also implies they produce nourishment by way of photosynthesis) implies they ARE plants. But then you go and say they have none of a Plant type creature's immunities. AND on top of that they STILL have a Plant type creature's vulnerabilities...

So what are they? Are they sentient plants? Or are they basically humans disguised as your neighbourly happy tree friends? Physiologically speaking, that is. Do they have bark, are they made of wood, do they transport nutrients in some sort of sap? Or are they made of flesh, bone and blood? What does it look like when a Treeling is struck by a Wounding Weapon, or kept in the dark for a long time, or force-fed? Do they breathe air (if not, that'd be quite powerful)? Can they root into the ground (to avoid being tripped)? Can they be poisoned, diseased etc.?

This "it's a plant, but not a plant" business seems to open up more questions than it solves. Some of them mechanical questions with immediate balancing implications.

 

[Rampant]

Ok well four things

+2 NA, fey type, and powerful build is a little much for a LA+0.
Definitely cut the NA to +1, or out entirely.

I'm a little confused on the good berry ability, do they have to feed 8 hours to use the ability every day? or do they feed on sunday and provide berries through saturday (or whatever 7 day cycle your world uses).

The fey typing and plant thing are a little weird, assuming you don't ditch the fey bit entire, what i'd suggest is that you say: Spells affect treelings as if they were plant creatures.

Also given the tree like build you may wanna go with that skill penalty suggestion too.

 

[Oversquid]

Balance-wise, I think your creation is just fine as LA+0. However, I'd like to point out a few conceptual problems I have with this race, especially where their niche in the game is concerned.


First of all, character optimization:
+2 Cha, -2 Dex doesn't really lend itself easily to many optimized builds, except maybe a Paladin? Bards and Sorcerers will hate the Dex penalty, though - although it may be preferable to the Star Elves' Con penalty. Powerful build does nothing for Bards and Sorcerers, either. NA is nice for everybody, but again favors the frontliners. So is this a Paladin-y race, with a Cha bonus, NA, and powerful build? Doesn't seem to fit that well conceptually, and what would a Paladin be doing using Knowledge (Nature)?

Binder, maybe?

Druids, which fit the concept more than anything, only get a Cha bonus once wildshaped, which isn't much really, and lose the other benefits of the race choice, except for largely inconsequential skill bonuses.

So what's this race's schtick, what are they supposed to be really good at?

I'm not really going for optimization here, I'm just making race concepts, and then working with them. I prefer the races I make to have a little something for anyone, granted, some things will be more better than others than others.

I know this point of view isn't popular amongst a great many people here, but I just don't believe in races that are existing specifically for a class, not that I'm saying that this applies to you, but still I just want to throw that out there.

Concept/role in the campaign:
So they're forest-dwelling, friendly, nature-loving humanoids. Like ents, errm..., treants, but without the great personal power those invoke, so you can put in more individuals. I could see a role in a campaign easily enough, of course. It'd be a little bit of work to avoid cliché, but still. On the other hand, they fill much of the narrative-ecological niche of Wood Elves.

Well yeah, I see what you're getting at with the first sentence, but in reality I've always wanted to play as something more plantlike, so thats where I'm making the Treelings, in hopes that a plant-like race can come up, and not break the game.

I think of the Treelings like racial servants directly from the forest that go and take care of it, but, unlike other forest dwelling fey like Dryads, a Treeling can move away from the trees, even though the typical Treeling is not keen on moving away from the trees anyways.

And about the cliche, yes, it will be a lot of work to come up with a non-cliche reason as to why they are out adventuring, but another thing to take into account is that what makes a cliche a cliche, is if it is perpetrated in a manner that is unimaginative, and doesn't justify the future as it goes. I know that probably didn't make much sense, but feel free to tell me where it doesn't, and I'll try to make it make sense.

Physiology etc.:
Plant-like, but not plant-like... I'm not feelin' it. It seems a bit as if you only put in the restrictions on their plant-y-ness to avoid balancing issues. The Goodberry power (which also implies they produce nourishment by way of photosynthesis) implies they ARE plants. But then you go and say they have none of a Plant type creature's immunities. AND on top of that they STILL have a Plant type creature's vulnerabilities...

So what are they? Are they sentient plants? Or are they basically humans disguised as your neighbourly happy tree friends? Physiologically speaking, that is. Do they have bark, are they made of wood, do they transport nutrients in some sort of sap? Or are they made of flesh, bone and blood? What does it look like when a Treeling is struck by a Wounding Weapon, or kept in the dark for a long time, or force-fed? Do they breathe air (if not, that'd be quite powerful)? Can they root into the ground (to avoid being tripped)? Can they be poisoned, diseased etc.?

This "it's a plant, but not a plant" business seems to open up more questions than it solves. Some of them mechanical questions with immediate balancing implications.

To address the first part, they are Fey creatures, with plant-like traits.

I think I clarified this elsewhere, but I'll do it here as well:

A Plant has the following traits:

• Low-light vision.
• Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
• Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning.
• Not subject to critical hits.

Meanwhile, a Fey only shares Low-light vision with Plants. When you refer to what a Treeling has based on type, you only look at the Fey, and a Fey only really has Low-Light Vision.

The Treeling, not being a plant, gets none of the above plant traits.

However, a Treeling is effected by spells and effects that specifically target plants, like Junglerazor, or even Woodrot perhaps (If I got the spell title right). This means both positive, and negative effects, including turning, if the cleric turning can turn plants.

The only Plant-like traits that are significant are what I wrote in the above paragraph. Everything else, you refer to the Fey type, so yes, a Treeling needs to breathe, eat, and sleep, though they do the eating and sleeping differently than a humanoid. They still need to breathe.

Does this make sense? If not, I'll try to clarify.