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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Khaalis" data-source="post: 4391201" data-attributes="member: 2167">Check <a href="http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=rpga/news/lfrcharacters" target="_blank">here</a>. Very end of the article is a download for an FRPG preview which includes a fair sized number of sample Backgrounds.This is suitable for a complete topic of its own.  My “personal” opinion is that something like this particular example (i.e. Pugilist) is best accomplished by a new class. In this particular instance, something like a “Scrapper” class that is a martial unarmed combat fighter. A hybrid between striker and defender, based on the “combat style” you take (primarily strikes akin to Karate, or something defensive based on throws, etc. akin to Aikido). However, with that said, you “could” technically do a series of feat chains along the same lines.  We already have the precedent for ”Power Substitution” feats (these examples can be seen in the DDI Material for the Warforged and the Dragonborn).  However, it opens up the can of worms arguments on whether “Natural Attacks” are viable or meaningful in 4E. IMHO, I have no issue with “natural weapons”.  The PHB already says that unarmed attacks count as weapons, both in the equipment table as well as specifically calling out that they may be used with melee class powers as the weapon for ”weapon” keyword powers.  To this you could add feats that improve the usefulness of these weapons. Examples:CLAW FOCUSPrerequisite: Claw natural weaponBenefit: Your claws are considered s Simple Weapon of the Light Blades group rather than Improvised Weapons of the Unarmed group.CLAW SPECIALIZATIONPrerequisite: Claw natural weapon, Claw FocusBenefit: Your claws deal 1d6 damage.VICIOUS CLAWSPrerequisite: Claw natural weapon, Claw FocusBenefit: The Vicious Claws racial attack power replaces one of your attack power. The power it replaces must be Xth level of higher. If you do not yet have an Xth level or higher power, you can replace the appropriate power when you gain it.Insert Power HereTo this I would also modify the Enchant Magic Item ritual to create a new ritual – ”Enchant Natural Weapon”; making it more expensive and probably slightly higher level.  However, I don’t know how well this would go over considering some of the impassioned arguments AGAINST natural weapons that we have seen.The problem here is that there are a LOT of powers/abilities that are identical but have different names. “Sure Strike/Careful Strike” is a prime example as many of the Paragon Path powers such as Angelic Action = Beast Stalker’s Action = Shadow Assassin’s Action = Feytouched Action = Battle Mage Action. Many of the MM attacks are the same from creature to creature as well, but with different names for flavor. This is a running theme in 4E. There are only so many mechanical combinations, but the naming can add flavor to them to make them fit many more applications than a standard generic name could.The original MM version has a +2 Perception (rather than the +2 Athletics I gave).The additional +2 to fear saves still doesn’t thrill me.  How about the following?HEREDITARY SENSES – [Minotaur]Prerequisites: Wis 13, MinotaurBenefit: You gain a +1 bonus to all defenses against powers with the Fear keyword. …..You gain a +2 bonus to Perception checks.This could then be added as a Prerequisite to ”Direction Sense”.Not sure if this is too powerful for Heroic or not. Resisting forced movement is pretty up there in relative power. Also, I think it would require something akin to the following:Special: You cannot choose to move while this feat is in effect. But we have no idea when that might, and even then the MM race is all about being evil and dedicated to Baphomet and other demons. Not sure how they will translate that over.Thanks. Still tweaking it and making editorial changes as well. Hopefully it will get put to bed as a finished topic soon.</blockquote>

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