New 'Mechanus' race

[Nifft]

Hi.

I'd like to read your ideas and comment on them, but I'm averse to scrolling horizontally.

Could you stop using CODE tags for long lines?

Thanks, -- N

 

[Kavok]

Hi.

I'd like to read your ideas and comment on them, but I'm averse to scrolling horizontally.

Could you stop using CODE tags for long lines?

Thanks, -- N

Sure, done for my latest post.

 

[Nifft]

Sure, done for my latest post.

Great, thanks.

I see you are importing some 2e mechanics, such as "half damage". IMHO this isn't going to be easy to balance.

Better to stick with 3.5e stuff like "Energy Resistance 10 (fire, cold, acid and sonic)". That way it's not limited to Evocations, and they're still vulnerable to electricity.

For the electricity side effect, why not create some custom spells for the setting? If the Mechanus dudes were the world's BBEG for a long time, they may have been brought down by spells specifically targeted at them.

For example:

Shocking Strike
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Druid 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature or object touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None or Fortitude partial; see below
Spell Resistance: Yes

Your successful melee touch attack deals 1d8 points of electricity damage, +1d8 per 3 caster levels (maximum 3d8). When delivering the jolt, you gain a +3 bonus on attack rolls if the opponent is a Construct.

In addition to the Electricity damage, a Construct who takes damage must make a Fortitude save or be Stunned for 1 round. This effect violates a Construct's usual immunity to being Stunned.

- - -

If you wished, you could replace all the regular electricity Druid and Sor/Wiz spells with anti-Construct versions. IMHO that would change the setting significantly, but in a very cool way.

Then you could just use something closer to the relatively well-tested Warforged (with the extra energy resistances, plus feats to boost their energy resistances at higher levels) and your setting would still reflect the race's history well.

- - -

Another alternate mechanism would be to give them Energy Resistance XX (fire, cold, acid, sonic) and also give them Electrical Vulnerability (+50% damage from Electricity effects, whether they save or not). There are plenty of critters with Fire or Cold vulnerability; it's not much of a stretch.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Kavok]

Great, thanks.

I see you are importing some 2e mechanics, such as "half damage". IMHO this isn't going to be easy to balance.

Better to stick with 3.5e stuff like "Energy Resistance 10 (fire, cold, acid and sonic)". That way it's not limited to Evocations, and they're still vulnerable to electricity.

For the electricity side effect, why not create some custom spells for the setting? If the Mechanus dudes were the world's BBEG for a long time, they may have been brought down by spells specifically targeted at them.

For example:

Shocking Strike
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Druid 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature or object touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None or Fortitude partial; see below
Spell Resistance: Yes

Your successful melee touch attack deals 1d8 points of electricity damage, +1d8 per 3 caster levels (maximum 3d8). When delivering the jolt, you gain a +3 bonus on attack rolls if the opponent is a Construct.

In addition to the Electricity damage, a Construct who takes damage must make a Fortitude save or be Stunned for 1 round. This effect violates a Construct's usual immunity to being Stunned.

- - -

If you wished, you could replace all the regular electricity Druid and Sor/Wiz spells with anti-Construct versions. IMHO that would change the setting significantly, but in a very cool way.

Then you could just use something closer to the relatively well-tested Warforged (with the extra energy resistances, plus feats to boost their energy resistances at higher levels) and your setting would still reflect the race's history well.

- - -

Another alternate mechanism would be to give them Energy Resistance XX (fire, cold, acid, sonic) and also give them Electrical Vulnerability (+50% damage from Electricity effects, whether they save or not). There are plenty of critters with Fire or Cold vulnerability; it's not much of a stretch.

Cheers, -- N

Thanks! I quite like those ideas. I think I may go with really high energy resistance for everything except electrical and go with the vulnerability option.

I think in addition to vulnerability I'll swipe this from the Iron Golem:
A magical attack that deals electricity damage slows an iron golem (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no saving throw.

How high should I push the resistances? What about force, negative energy, and positive energy damage spells? I'm trying to somewhat emulate a near immunity to spells other than electrical - an Achilles Heel of the race.

 

[Nifft]

Thanks! I quite like those ideas. I think I may go with really high energy resistance for everything except electrical and go with the vulnerability option.

I think in addition to vulnerability I'll swipe this from the Iron Golem:
A magical attack that deals electricity damage slows an iron golem (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no saving throw.

How high should I push the resistances? What about force, negative energy, and positive energy damage spells? I'm trying to somewhat emulate a near immunity to spells other than electrical - an Achilles Heel of the race.

I wouldn't push them too high -- just 10 points is often enough to make most energy attacks inefficient (to the point of fatality). Start them low, but give feats they can take to increase their resistances.

They should NOT be immune to other damage. Force damage, for example, should work normally. Positive and negative energy don't usually affect constructs -- that's fine. There are a few spells in the Spell Compendium which specially target constructs, and you should swipe those if you can.

How are they affected by Druid spells like rusting grasp and warp wood?

Cheers, -- N

 

[Kavok]

1. A Mechanus receives DR 50/- to all Evocation spells unless they deal electrical/lighting based damage.
2. A Mechanus normally takes 5x damage from any electrical/lighting based damage.

Changed to:

1. Fire resistance 10
2. Cold resistance 10
3. Acid resistance 10
4. Immunity to Sonic.
5. Vulnerability to Electricity (+50% damage from electrical attacks).
6. Electrical injury:

If a Mechanus takes electricity damage, it must make a DC (electrical damage) fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round​