Monkeying with the Urban Arcana Dwarf

[Mordane76]

Alright -- I'm planning on using the d20 Modern rules in a post-apocalyptic home-game (so other house rules will be used as well), and I want to use the Urban Arcana Dwarf... for the most part.

In the world I'm working on, dwarves do not possess the enmity for goblins, orcs, bugbears, and other goblinoids, nor are they more proficient against trolls, ogres and other giants. I want to strip out their Special Combat Bonuses, but I'm not sure what exactly would be a fair trade.

I've monkeyed with dropping the Charisma penalty, giving them a further skill bonus on some Craft or similar skill on which they don't already possess a bonus, or adding something to their save bonus like possibly doubling the poison save bonus.


Any of these sound fair? Or does someone have a suggestion of something else that might be good?

 

[Psychic Skeksis]

Alright -- I'm planning on using the d20 Modern rules in a post-apocalyptic home-game (so other house rules will be used as well), and I want to use the Urban Arcana Dwarf... for the most part.

In the world I'm working on, dwarves do not possess the enmity for goblins, orcs, bugbears, and other goblinoids, nor are they more proficient against trolls, ogres and other giants. I want to strip out their Special Combat Bonuses, but I'm not sure what exactly would be a fair trade.

I've monkeyed with dropping the Charisma penalty, giving them a further skill bonus on some Craft or similar skill on which they don't already possess a bonus, or adding something to their save bonus like possibly doubling the poison save bonus.


Any of these sound fair? Or does someone have a suggestion of something else that might be good?

I wouldn't drop the Charisma penalty. That would, IMHO, make the Dwarf a bit overpowered compared to the standard races (I'll just leave half-dragons out of this. ). How about keeping the combat bonuses, but instead of making them monster-specific, make them size-specific? In other words, when fighting creatures of the Giant type they get a dodge bonus, yada yada. Not due to racial enmity but due to their special training against larger creatures.

So much of this depends on your campaign world. For example, if you're not planning on having the dwarves encounter any goblinoids or giants, then dropping the bonuses really doesn't harm them at all...

 

[Mordane76]

For example, if you're not planning on having the dwarves encounter any goblinoids or giants, then dropping the bonuses really doesn't harm them at all...

Unfortunately, this isn't the case -- there will still be these sort of creatures in the world (goblins and giant-types), but IMO these combat bonuses are granted as a sort of setting implied staightjacket. In D&D, and thus d20 Modern by extension, Dwarves and goblins and giants have some blood feud going back into the dawn of time. In this campaign, I want the Dwarves, I want the ogres, I want the goblins, but I don't want this required enmity and the statistical implications that come with it.

 

[Macbeth]

I would say giving dwarves a bonus on some setting specific skill (craft if dwarves are still craftsmen, spellcraft if dwarves are spellcasters, etc, as your campaign dictates) would balance out the loss of the combat bonus.

 

[Shewolf]

How about keeping the combat bonuses, but instead of making them monster-specific, make them size-specific? In other words, when fighting creatures of the Giant type they get a dodge bonus, yada yada. Not due to racial enmity but due to their special training against larger creatures.

This is probably how I would deal with the issue. I'm not looking at the Dwarf right now... but I wasn't real pleased with the chop-job they did with the Drow.

Another option (which is one we used for the Drow) is to readjust the level adjustment - in your case, after you snip the combat bonuses out.

 

[Mordane76]

Another option (which is one we used for the Drow) is to readjust the level adjustment - in your case, after you snip the combat bonuses out.

Dwarf doesn't have a level adjustment, else I'd potentially use this.