New race, opinions welcome!

[Klaus]

Thanks, nycarus.

The problem with the Scout is that it isn't OGC, and this race is aimed towards publishing in a magazine here in Bikiniland...

Hmm... Would a racial ability to advance as a chaotic monk be too unbalancing. There *is* a feat that allows for a lawful bard(/paladin).

Also, I'll be introducing a feat (with Claws as a prerequisite) that allows a monk to deal slashing damage with its unarmed strike (lethal only).

 

[Nyaricus]

Thanks, nycarus.

The problem with the Scout is that it isn't OGC, and this race is aimed towards publishing in a magazine here in Bikiniland...

Hmm... Would a racial ability to advance as a chaotic monk be too unbalancing. There *is* a feat that allows for a lawful bard(/paladin).

Also, I'll be introducing a feat (with Claws as a prerequisite) that allows a monk to deal slashing damage with its unarmed strike (lethal only).

No problem

Personally, I don't like the monk class as-is. If you really want to increase their claw damage, just mention that they can take Improved Natural Attack to increase their claw damage by a step.

How set are you having this race having the monkas a favoured class? Do Kathos' have monasteries, or sacred training grounds to evole their innate skills? Where is the basis for monkas favoured race? I am not trying to nit-pick, but to get a feel for what you are trying to do. Scout or ranger would be much better suited for your Kathos' Favoured Class.

Oh, and it's Nyaricus - and don't worry, no hurt feelings

 

[Klaus]

Oopsie! Sorry!

Well, the favored class *has* to be monk, since I already hinted at that in last month's article. As for the rationale, it's basically this:

"Religion: Kathos refrain from organized religion, instead seeking solace within themselves and the lines of ancestors that preceeded them. Those who wish to follow a more mystical approach tend to become monks, even if for a short while, which allows them to regain some of the physical might that evolution claimed, through discipline and practice."

I am using the monk class to mimic all those "kewl cat stuff" that many cat-like races I've seen try to cram into the racial traits, with the unavoidable increase in LA.

So yeah, it *is* hard for a member of a chaotic race to become a monk in the first place (and the kathos don't call the class a "monk"). But if the kathos manage to overcome his wilder self and train for a while, the benefits of the class are much easier to keep even if the character then falls back into another class (so you're likely to see many Ranger X/Monk 1, Rogue X/Monk 3 or somesuch).

(all this because I don't want to introduce a Racial Paragon Class just yet).

 

[Nyaricus]

Okay, I see your rationale, but I suggest you don't sound so wishy-washy with the monk being the favoured class. Don't continue saying "but" - say that they are because the monk is a natural extension of the agility of the Kathos, the deep spirirtuality of their race and the powerful physical body.

BTW what are you calling the monk class?

Thanks

 

[Land Outcast]

[sblock=Outrider]
Outrider; Kathos Ranger 11 *
Medium Humanoid (Kathos)
HD: 11d8+11 (64 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)

AC: 21 (+4 Mwk. Chainshirt, +3 Dex, +1 Dodge, +3 Shield) [Fighting Defensively AC 26], Touch 14, Flat-footed 17.

Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+14

Attack: claw +14 melee (1d3+3) or mwk. shortsword +15 melee (1d6+3/19-20) or mwk. composite shortbow [+3] +15 ranged (1d6+3).

Full Attack: 2 claws +14 melee (1d3+3) or mwk. shortsword +13/+8/+3 melee (1d6+3/19-20) and mwk. shortsword +13/+8/+3 (1d6+3/19-20) or mwk. composite shortbow [+3] +15/+10/+5 ranged (1d6+3).

Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.

SA: Favored Enemy +4 (Humanoid (Gnoll))/ +4 (Humanoid (Orc)) / +2 (Giant), Combat Style, Improve Combat Style, Combat Style Mastery

SQ: Animal Companion, Endurance, Evasion, Kathos Traits, Low-light Vision, Swift Tracker, Track, Wild Empathy, Woodland Stride.

Saves: Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +4

Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8

Skills:
Hide +16 (14 ranks, -1 ACP, +3 Dex),
Listen +17 (14 ranks, +1 wis, +2 racial),
Move Silently +18 (14 ranks, -1 ACP, +3 Dex, +2 racial),
Ride +16 (14 ranks, -1 ACP, +3 Dex) (+20 with his Dire Tiger),
Spot +15 (14 ranks, +1 Wis),
Survival +15 (14 ranks, +1 Wis).

Feats: Blind Fight (R), Dodge (lvl 1), Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (B), Improved Two-Weapon Defense (V,CW), Endurance (B), Greater Two-Weapon Fighting (B), Greater Two-weapon Defense(V, CW), Elusive Target (lvl 9, CW), Mobility (lvl 6), Mounted Combat (V), Two-weapon Defense (lvl 3), Two-Weapon Fighting (B).

Languages known: Common, Kathian
Challenge Rating: 11
Organization: Solitary (1 plus Dire Tiger mount)

Possessions: Mwk. Composite shortbow [+3], 2 Mwk. Shortswords, Mwk. Chainshirt.



Animal Companion: Not relevant, he has none. [Personal Fix: Instead he gets to add twice his Ranger Class level to Wild Empathy checks]

Evasion: If the Outrider makes a succesful Reflex saving throw againts an effect that normally deals half damage on a succesful save, he instead takes no damage. Benefits from Evasion are lost if the Outrider is wearing any armor heavier than light and/or is unconscious.

Favored Enemy: The Outrider gets the noted bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and survival checks when using these skills against creatures of the noted type. He also gets the noted bonus on weapon damage rolls.

Kathos Traits: +2 racial bonus to Balance, Move Silently and Listen checks. +2 racial bonus to Handle Animal, Ride and wild empathy checks when dealing with felines.
- Sonic Vulnerability: Kathos suffer a –2 penalty to saves against sonic and sound-based attacks.

Low-light Vision: A Kathos can see twice as far as a human in poor lighting conditions.

Swift Tracker: An Outrider can move at his normal speed while following tracks and take only a -5 penalty, he takes a -10 penalty when moving at twice norma speed while tracking.

Wild Empathy: The Outrider can use the same mechanism as it is used with Diplomacy, but with animals, the roll made to modify the animal's attitude is 1d20+21.

Woodland Stride: The Outrider may move through natural undergrowth at his normal speed without taking damage or any other impairment.

*Variant Ranger, no spells, a free feat at each level at which it would get access to a new spell level.
(CW): From Complete Warrior
(B): Ranger Combat Style or Bonus Feat
(R): Racial feat.
(V): Variant Ranger Bonus Feat
[/sblock]

[sblock=Dire Tiger]
Dire Tiger
Large Animal
HD: 16d8+48 (hp 120)
Initiative: +2;
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
AC: 17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15;
Base Atack/Grapple: +12/+24
Atack: Claw +20 melee (2d4+8); Full Atk 2 claws +20 melee (2d4+8) and bite +14 melee (2d6+4);
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
SA: Improved grab, pounce, rake 2d4+4
SQ: low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +11;
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +7*, Jump +14, Listen +6, Move Silently +11, Spot +7, Swim +10
Feats: Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (claw), Improved Natural Attack (bite), Run, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (claw)
Challenge Rating: 8

Possessions: Saddle, Mwk. Bite and Bridle

Improved Grab(Ex): To use this ability, a dire tiger must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake

Pounce(Ex): If a dire tiger charges, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks

Rake(Ex): Attack bonus +18 melee, damage 2d4+4

Skills: Dire tigers have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +8. [/sblock]

 

[Land Outcast]

Hum... I like it somehow (cat people man, who can't love them?)
but the Sonic Vulnerability just feels random, and they could do without Blind-fight.

Hey Nyc, about Imp. Natural attack... It would increase claw damage from 1d3 to 1d4... like a bit useless

 

[Klaus]

Well, I may as well drop Sonic Vulnerability and Blind-Fight. Would that be better? (man, I wish Hear the Unseen was an OGC feat...).

And thanks for the write-up, Land Outcast.

 

[Land Outcast]

Welcome
You don't really need the feat per se.
Just noe a Special Quality: Awareness. and give it the attributes of such feat.

 

[Klaus]

I balanced the +2 bonus when dealing with felines with a -2 penalty when using Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive with non-kathos humanoids. The rationale is that the have more empathy with felines than with humanoids. Oh, and the "feline" thing only applies to animals (from the MM, cat, cheetah, leopard, lion and tiger), so no bonus for chimerae, griffons, dragonnes, etc.

Oh, and the Sonic vulnerability thing applies to spells, such as Command, Power Words, Holy Words and the like, so it's a pretty hefty drawback, specially when compared to the core races, which usually have no drawbacks.

How's that?

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

The Kathos look awesome and totally balanced for a +0 LA race. I don't have a problem with the -2 Int/+2 Wis; cats are in reality pretty dumb for mammals while retaining an incredible instinctual cunning. My only beef is with monk being their favored class. A race's favored class should never be one that only 'unusual specimens' would take; either give them lawful tendencies (not my first choice) or change their favored class to something else...ranger or scout immediately come to mind. As to the divine caster problem...don't worry about it. Any race that has a bonus to any mental stat w/o an LA is going to be really attractive as a caster (<cough> gray elf). Either just accept this fact or get rid of the +2 wis (I'd say stick with the former rather than the latter).